Image pickup device and electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

The device includes: a first structural body and a second structural body that are layered, the first structural body including a pixel array unit, the second structural body including an input/output circuit unit, and a signal processing circuit; a first through-via, a signal output external terminal, a second through-via, and a signal input external terminal that are arranged below the pixel array, the first through-via penetrating through a semiconductor substrate constituting a part of the second structural body, the second through-via penetrating through the semiconductor substrate; a substrate connected to the signal output external terminal and the signal input external terminal; and a circuit board connected to a first surface of the substrate. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, the image pickup device, and the like.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an image pickup device and anelectronic apparatus, and in particular to an image pickup device and anelectronic apparatus that enables further downsizing of device size.

BACKGROUND ART

An image pickup device such as a complementary metal oxide semiconductor(CMOS) image sensor has been further downsized, for example, by aconfiguration devised in which a plurality of semiconductor substratesis layered (for example, see Patent Document 1).

CITATION LIST Patent Document

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-72294

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

As the image pickup device is further downsized, the area occupied bythe terminal portion that takes out the output signal increases withrespect to the plane size of the device, and downsizing becomesdifficult.

The present disclosure has been made in view of such a situation, and isintended to enable further downsizing of the device size.

Solutions to Problems

A first image pickup device of one aspect of the present technologyincludes: a first structural body and a second structural body that arelayered, the first structural body including a pixel array unit in whicha pixel that performs photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionallyarrayed, the second structural body being positioned below the firststructural body, the second structural body including an input circuitunit that inputs a predetermined signal from an outside of the device,an output circuit unit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixelto the outside of the device, and a signal processing circuit; an outputunit and an input unit that are arranged below the pixel array unit ofthe first structural body, the output unit including the output circuitunit, a first through-via connected to the output circuit unit andpenetrating through a semiconductor substrate constituting a part of thesecond structural body, and a signal output external terminal thatconnects the output circuit unit to the outside of the device via thefirst through-via, the input unit including the input circuit unit, asecond through-via connected to the input circuit unit and penetratingthrough the semiconductor substrate, and a signal input externalterminal that connects the input circuit unit to the outside of thedevice via the second through-via; a substrate connected to the signaloutput external terminal and the signal input external terminal; and acircuit board connected to a first surface of the substrate, the firstsurface facing a second surface to which the signal output externalterminal and the signal input external terminal are connected.

A second image pickup device of one aspect of the present technologyincludes: a first structural body, a glass substrate, a transmittanceattenuation layer, and a second structural body that are layered, thefirst structural body including a pixel array unit in which a pixel thatperforms photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionally arrayed, theglass substrate positioned above the first structural body, thetransmittance attenuation layer being positioned above the firststructural body and attenuating transmittance of incident light, thesecond structural body being positioned below the first structural body,the second structural body including an input circuit unit that inputs apredetermined signal from an outside of the device, an output circuitunit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixel to the outside ofthe device, and a signal processing circuit; and an output unit and aninput unit that are arranged below the pixel array unit of the firststructural body, the output unit including the output circuit unit, afirst through-via connected to the output circuit unit and penetratingthrough a semiconductor substrate constituting a part of the secondstructural body, and a signal output external terminal that connects theoutput circuit unit to the outside of the device via the firstthrough-via, the input unit including the input circuit unit, a secondthrough-via connected to the input circuit unit and penetrating throughthe semiconductor substrate, and a signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via.

A third image pickup device of one aspect of the present technologyincludes: a first structural body, a glass substrate, and a secondstructural body that are layered, the first structural body including apixel array unit in which a pixel that performs photoelectric conversionis two-dimensionally arrayed, the glass substrate being positioned abovethe first structural body and including a light incident surfacesubjected to moth-eye processing, the second structural body beingpositioned below the first structural body, the second structural bodyincluding an input circuit unit that inputs a predetermined signal froman outside of the device, an output circuit unit that outputs a pixelsignal output from the pixel to the outside of the device, and a signalprocessing circuit; and an output unit and an input unit that arearranged below the pixel array unit of the first structural body, theoutput unit including the output circuit unit, a first through-viaconnected to the output circuit unit and penetrating through asemiconductor substrate constituting a part of the second structuralbody, and a signal output external terminal that connects the outputcircuit unit to the outside of the device via the first through-via, theinput unit including the input circuit unit, a second through-viaconnected to the input circuit unit and penetrating through thesemiconductor substrate, and a signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via.

An electronic apparatus of one aspect of the present technologyincludes: a first structural body and a second structural body that arelayered, the first structural body including a pixel array unit in whicha pixel that performs photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionallyarrayed, the second structural body being positioned below the firststructural body, the second structural body including an input circuitunit that inputs a predetermined signal from an outside of the device,an output circuit unit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixelto the outside of the device, and a signal processing circuit; an outputunit and an input unit that are arranged below the pixel array unit ofthe first structural body, the output unit including the output circuitunit, a first through-via connected to the output circuit unit andpenetrating through a semiconductor substrate constituting a part of thesecond structural body, and a signal output external terminal thatconnects the output circuit unit to the outside of the device via thefirst through-via, the input unit including the input circuit unit, asecond through-via connected to the input circuit unit and penetratingthrough the semiconductor substrate, and a signal input externalterminal that connects the input circuit unit to the outside of thedevice via the second through-via; a substrate connected to the signaloutput external terminal and the signal input external terminal; and acircuit board connected to a first surface of the substrate, the firstsurface facing a second surface to which the signal output externalterminal and the signal input external terminal are connected.

In the first image pickup device of one aspect of the presenttechnology, the first structural body and the second structural body arelayered, the first structural body including the pixel array unit inwhich the pixel that performs photoelectric conversion istwo-dimensionally arrayed, the second structural body being positionedbelow the first structural body and including: the input circuit unitthat inputs the predetermined signal from the outside of the device; theoutput circuit unit that outputs the pixel signal output from the pixelto the outside of the device; and the signal processing circuit.Furthermore, the output unit and the input unit are arranged below thepixel array unit of the first structural body, the output unitincluding: the output circuit unit; the first through-via connected tothe output circuit unit and penetrating through the semiconductorsubstrate constituting a part of the second structural body; and thesignal output external terminal that connects the output circuit unit tothe outside of the device via the first through-via, the input unitincluding: the input circuit unit; the second through-via connected tothe input circuit unit and penetrating through the semiconductorsubstrate; and the signal input external terminal that connects theinput circuit unit to the outside of the device via the secondthrough-via. Furthermore, the substrate and the circuit board areincluded, the substrate being connected to the signal output externalterminal and the signal input external terminal, the circuit board beingconnected to the first surface of the substrate, the first substratefacing the second surface to which the signal output external terminaland the signal input external terminal are connected.

In the second image pickup device of one aspect of the presenttechnology, the first structural body, the glass substrate, thetransmittance attenuation layer, and the second structural body arelayered, the first structural body including the pixel array unit inwhich the pixel that performs photoelectric conversion istwo-dimensionally arrayed, the glass substrate being positioned abovethe first structural body, the transmittance attenuation layer beingpositioned above the first structural body and attenuating transmittanceof incident light, the second structural body being positioned below thefirst structural body and including: the input circuit unit that inputsthe predetermined signal from the outside of the device; the outputcircuit unit that outputs the pixel signal output from the pixel to theoutside of the device; and the signal processing circuit. Furthermore,the output unit and the input unit are arranged below the pixel arrayunit of the first structural body, the output unit including: the outputcircuit unit; the first through-via connected to the output circuit unitand penetrating through the semiconductor substrate constituting a partof the second structural body; and the signal output external terminalthat connects the output circuit unit to the outside of the device viathe first through-via, the input unit including: the input circuit unit;the second through-via connected to the input circuit unit andpenetrating through the semiconductor substrate; and the signal inputexternal terminal that connects the input circuit unit to the outside ofthe device via the second through-via.

In the third image pickup device of one aspect of the presenttechnology, the first structural body, the glass substrate, and thesecond structural body are layered, the first structural body includingthe pixel array unit in which the pixel that performs photoelectricconversion is two-dimensionally arrayed, the glass substrate beingpositioned above the first structural body and having light incidentsurface subjected to moth-eye processing, the second structural bodybeing positioned below the first structural body and including: theinput circuit unit that inputs the predetermined signal from the outsideof the device; the output circuit unit that outputs the pixel signaloutput from the pixel to the outside of the device; and the signalprocessing circuit. Furthermore, the output unit and the input unit arearranged below the pixel array unit of the first structural body, theoutput unit including: the output circuit unit; the first through-viaconnected to the output circuit unit and penetrating through thesemiconductor substrate constituting a part of the second structuralbody; and the signal output external terminal that connects the outputcircuit unit to the outside of the device via the first through-via, theinput unit including: the input circuit unit; the second through-viaconnected to the input circuit unit and penetrating through thesemiconductor substrate; and the signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via.

The electronic apparatus of one aspect of the present technology is anapparatus including the first image pickup device.

Effects of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present technology, the device size canbe further downsized.

Note that, an effect described herein is not necessarily limited and maybe any of effects described in the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic structure of an imagepickup device adopting the present technology.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example system configurationof the image pickup device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example circuit arrangementconfiguration of a pixel.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of an inputcircuit unit and an output circuit unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a first example circuit arrangementconfiguration of a circuit arrangement in the image pickup device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional structure taken alonga line A-A′ of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a second example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickup device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional structure taken alonga line B-B′ of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a cross section in a final shape of animage pickup device as Comparative Example 1.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cross section in a final shape of animage pickup device as Comparative Example 2.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a cross section in a final shape of animage pickup device as Comparative Example 3.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a third example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickup device.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a fourth example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickup device.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional structure takenalong a line C-C′ of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a fifth example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickup device.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a sixth example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickup device.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a seventh example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickup device.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an eighth example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickup device.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a ninth example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickup device.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a tenth example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickup device.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional structure takenalong a line D-D′ of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an eleventh example circuitarrangement configuration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickupdevice.

FIG. 23 is an enlarged cross-sectional view near an outer periphery ofan image pickup device 1.

FIG. 24 is a diagram for explaining a method of manufacturing the imagepickup device with a twin contact structure.

FIG. 25 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 26 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 27 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 28 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 29 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 30 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 31 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 32 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 33 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 34 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 35 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 36 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 37 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 38 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device with the twin contact structure.

FIG. 39 is a diagram for explaining a method of manufacturing the imagepickup device in FIG. 5 with a Cu—Cu direct bonding structure.

FIG. 40 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device in FIG. 5 with the Cu—Cu direct bonding structure.

FIG. 41 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device in FIG. 5 with the Cu—Cu direct bonding structure.

FIG. 42 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device in FIG. 5 with the Cu—Cu direct bonding structure.

FIG. 43 is a diagram for explaining the method of manufacturing theimage pickup device in FIG. 5 with the Cu—Cu direct bonding structure.

FIG. 44 is a diagram for explaining Further Modification 1 of the imagepickup device.

FIG. 45 is a diagram for explaining Further Modification 2 of the imagepickup device.

FIG. 46 is a diagram for explaining Further Modification 3 of the imagepickup device.

FIG. 47 is a diagram for explaining Further Modification 4 of the imagepickup device.

FIG. 48 is a diagram for explaining an example in which the image pickupdevice includes a three-layer layered structural body.

FIG. 49 is a diagram for explaining the example in which the imagepickup device includes the three-layer layered structural body.

FIG. 50 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of the image pickupdevice connected to a lens module and a substrate.

FIG. 51 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of the image pickupdevice connected to the lens module and the substrate.

FIG. 52 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of the image pickupdevice connected to the lens module and the substrate.

FIG. 53 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of the image pickupdevice connected to the lens module and the substrate.

FIG. 54 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of the image pickupdevice connected to the lens module and the substrate.

FIG. 55 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of the image pickupdevice connected to the lens module and the substrate.

FIG. 56 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of the image pickupdevice connected to the lens module and the substrate.

FIG. 57 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of a capsuleendoscope.

FIG. 58 is a diagram for explaining a step of connecting the lens moduleand the substrate to the image pickup device.

FIG. 59 is a diagram for explaining the step of connecting the lensmodule and the substrate to the image pickup device.

FIG. 60 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of a camera module.

FIG. 61 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the cameramodule.

FIG. 62 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the cameramodule.

FIG. 63 is a diagram for explaining transmittance.

FIG. 64 is a diagram for explaining a scattering surface.

FIG. 65 is a diagram for explaining a forming position of atransmittance attenuation layer.

FIG. 66 is a diagram for explaining a forming position of thetransmittance attenuation layer.

FIG. 67 is a diagram for explaining a shape of the transmittanceattenuation layer.

FIG. 68 is a diagram for explaining a shape of the transmittanceattenuation layer.

FIG. 69 is a diagram for explaining a shape of the transmittanceattenuation layer.

FIG. 70 is a diagram for explaining a shape of the transmittanceattenuation layer.

FIG. 71 is a diagram for explaining formation of the transmittanceattenuation layer.

FIG. 72 is a diagram for explaining formation of the transmittanceattenuation layer.

FIG. 73 is a diagram for explaining formation of the transmittanceattenuation layer.

FIG. 74 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of theimage pickup device as an electronic apparatus to which the presenttechnology is applied.

FIG. 75 is a diagram for explaining a usage example of the image pickupdevice in FIG. 1.

FIG. 76 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematicconfiguration of an endoscopic surgical system.

FIG. 77 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functionalconfiguration of a camera head and a CCU.

FIG. 78 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a schematicconfiguration of a vehicle control system.

FIG. 79 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example ofinstallation positions of a vehicle exterior information detection unitand an image pickup unit.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, modes (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) for carryingout the present technology will be described. Note that, the descriptionwill be made in the following order.

1. Schematic structure of image pickup device

2. System configuration of image pickup device

3. Example circuit arrangement configuration of pixel

4. Example configuration of input circuit and output circuit

5. Example circuit arrangement configuration of image pickup device

6. Cross-sectional structure of image pickup device

7. Circuit arrangement of image pickup device in case where anotherupper and lower wiring lines connection structure is used

8. Comparative example with other image pickup devices

9. Other example circuit arrangement configurations of image pickupdevice

10. Detailed structure of image pickup device

11. Manufacturing method

12. Further modification

13. Example of three-layer layered structural body

14. Configuration including lens module

15. Configuration of capsule endoscope

16. Method of manufacturing image pickup device with lens module

17. About compound eye form

18. Camera module including transmittance attenuation layer

19. Formation of transmittance attenuation layer

20. Application example to electronic apparatus

21. Usage examples of image sensor

22. Application example to endoscopic surgical system

23. Application example to mobile body

1. Schematic Structure of Image Pickup Device

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic structure of an image pickup device as asemiconductor device adopting the present technology.

An image pickup device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 converts light or anelectromagnetic wave incident on the device in an arrow direction in thefigure into an electric signal. Hereinafter, in the present disclosure,for convenience, a device will be described that converts the light, asan object to be converted into the electric signal, into the electricsignal, as an example.

The image pickup device 1 includes a layered structural body 13 in whicha first structural body 11 and a second structural body 12 are layered,an external terminal 14, and a protective substrate 18 formed on theupper side of the first structural body 11. Note that, in the following,for convenience, in FIG. 1, a side of an incident surface where thelight is incident on the device is set to the upper side, and a side ofanother surface facing the incident surface of the device is set to thelower side, and the first structural body 11 is referred to as an upperstructural body 11, and the second structural body 12 is referred to asa lower structural body 12.

As described later, the image pickup device 1 is formed by pasting asemiconductor substrate (wafer) constituting a part of the upperstructural body 11, a semiconductor substrate (wafer) constituting apart of the lower structural body 12, and the protective substrate 18 toeach other at the wafer state, and then dividing them into solid piecesof a plurality of the image pickup devices 1.

The upper structural body 11 before being divided into the solid piecesis a semiconductor substrate (wafer) including a pixel for convertingthe incident light into the electric signal. The pixel includes, forexample, a photodiode (PD) for photoelectric conversion and a pluralityof pixel transistors that controls photoelectric conversion operationand reading operation of the photoelectrically converted electricsignal. The upper structural body 11 included in the image pickup device1 after being divided into the solid pieces may be referred to as anupper chip, an image sensor substrate, or an image sensor chip.

The pixel transistor included in the image pickup device 1 is desirablya MOS transistor, for example.

On the upper surface of the upper structural body 11, for example, acolor filter 15 of red (R), green (G), or blue (B), and an on-chip lens16 are formed. On the upper side of the on-chip lens 16, the protectivesubstrate 18 is arranged for protecting structural objects of the imagepickup device 1, particularly the on-chip lens 16 and the color filter15. The protective substrate 18 is a transparent glass substrate, forexample. If the hardness of the protective substrate 18 is higher thanthe hardness of the on-chip lens 16, the function of protecting theon-chip lens 16 is strengthened.

The lower structural body 12 before being divided into the solid piecesis a semiconductor substrate (wafer) that includes a semiconductorcircuit including a transistor and a wiring line. The lower structuralbody 12 included in the image pickup device 1 after being divided intothe solid pieces may be referred to as a lower chip, a signal processingsubstrate, or a signal processing chip. On the lower structural body 12,a plurality of the external terminals 14 is formed for electricallyconnecting to a wiring line (not illustrated) of the outside of thedevice. The external terminals 14 are solder balls, for example.

The image pickup device 1 has a cavity-less structure in which theprotective substrate 18 is fixed to the upper side of the upperstructural body 11 or the upper side of the on-chip lens 16 via theglass seal resin 17 arranged on the on-chip lens 16. Since the hardnessof the glass seal resin 17 is lower than the hardness of the protectivesubstrate 18, as compared with a case where no seal resin exists, theglass seal resin 17 can function to alleviate the stress applied to theprotective substrate 18 from the outside of the image pickup device 1 tobe transmitted to the inside of the device.

Note that, the image pickup device 1 may have a cavity structure, as astructure different from the cavity-less structure, in which a columnaror wall-like structure is formed on the upper surface of the upperstructural body 11, and the protective substrate 18 is fixed to thecolumnar or wall-like structure to be supported with a gap above theon-chip lens 16.

2. System Configuration of Image Pickup Device

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example system configurationof the image pickup device 1.

The image pickup device 1 of FIG. 2 includes a pixel array unit 24 inwhich a plurality of pixels 31 each having a photoelectric conversionunit (PD) is arranged in a row direction and a column direction.

The pixel array unit 24 includes a row drive signal line 32 for drivingthe pixels 31 for each row, and a vertical signal line (column readingline) 33 for reading signals generated as a result of photoelectricconversion from the plurality of pixels 31 driven for each row. Asillustrated in FIG. 2, the plurality of pixels 31 arrayed in the rowdirection is connected to one row drive signal line 32. The plurality ofpixels 31 arrayed in the column direction is connected to one verticalsignal line 33.

The image pickup device 1 further includes a row drive unit 22 and acolumn signal processing unit 25.

The row drive unit 22 includes, for example, a row address control unitthat determines a position of a row for driving pixels, in other words,a row decoder unit, and a row drive circuit unit that generates signalsfor driving the pixels 31.

The column signal processing unit 25 includes, for example, a loadcircuit unit connected to the vertical signal line 33 and forming asource follower circuit with each of the pixels 31. Furthermore, thecolumn signal processing unit 25 may include an amplifier circuit unitthat amplifies the signals read from the pixels 31 via the verticalsignal line 33. Moreover, the column signal processing unit 25 mayfurther include a noise processing unit for reducing a noise level of asystem from the signals read from the pixels 31 as a result ofphotoelectric conversion.

The column signal processing unit 25 includes an analog-to-digitalconverter (ADC) for converting the signals read from the pixels 31 oranalog signals subjected to the noise-processing into digital signals.The ADC includes a comparator unit for comparing an analog signal to beconverted with a reference sweep signal to be compared with the analogsignal, and a counter unit that measures time until a comparison resultin the comparator unit is inverted. The column signal processing unit 25may further include a horizontal scanning circuit unit that performscontrol of scanning a reading column.

The image pickup device 1 further includes a timing control unit 23. Onthe basis of a timing control signal or a reference clock signal inputto the device, the timing control unit 23 supplies a signal forcontrolling timing to the row drive unit 22 and the column signalprocessing unit 25. Hereinafter, in the present disclosure, all or partof the row drive unit 22, the column signal processing unit 25, and thetiming control unit 23 may be simply referred to as a pixel peripheralcircuit unit, a peripheral circuit unit, or a control circuit unit.

The image pickup device 1 further includes an image signal processingunit 26. The image signal processing unit 26 is a circuit that performsvarious types of signal processing to the data obtained as a result ofphotoelectric conversion, in other words, data obtained as a result ofimage pickup operation in the image pickup device 1. The image signalprocessing unit 26 includes, for example, an image signal processingcircuit unit, and a data holding unit. The image signal processing unit26 may further include a processor unit.

An example of the signal processing executed in the image signalprocessing unit 26 is tone curve correction processing that gives moregradation in a case where image pickup data subjected to the ADconversion is data obtained by photographing a dark subject, and reducesthe gradation in a case where the image pickup data is data obtained byphotographing a bright subject. In this case, it is desirable to storecharacteristic data of a tone curve in advance in the data holding unitof the image signal processing unit 26, on what type of tone curve thegradation of the image pickup data is to be corrected.

The image pickup device 1 further includes an input unit 21A. The inputunit 21A inputs, for example, the reference clock signal, the timingcontrol signals such as a vertical synchronizing signal and a horizontalsynchronizing signal, the characteristic data to be stored in the dataholding unit of the image signal processing unit 26, and the like to theimage pickup device 1 from the outside of the device. The input unit 21Aincludes an input terminal 41 that is the external terminal 14 forinputting the data to the image pickup device 1, and an input circuitunit 42 that takes a signal input to the input terminal 41 into theimage pickup device 1.

The input unit 21A further includes an input amplitude changing unit 43that changes the amplitude of the signal taken in by the input circuitunit 42 to an amplitude easy to use inside the image pickup device 1.

The input unit 21A further includes an input data conversion circuitunit 44 that changes arrangement of a data string of input data. Theinput data conversion circuit unit 44 is, for example, aserial-to-parallel conversion circuit that receives a serial signal asthe input data and converts the signal into a parallel signal.

Note that, the input amplitude changing unit 43 and the input dataconversion circuit unit 44 may be omitted.

In a case where the image pickup device 1 is connected to externalmemory devices such as a flash memory, SRAM, and DRAM, the input unit21A can further include a memory interface circuit that receives datafrom these external memory devices.

The image pickup device 1 further includes an output unit 21B. Theoutput unit 21B outputs image data photographed by the image pickupdevice 1, and image data subjected to the signal processing by the imagesignal processing unit 26, from the image pickup device 1 to the outsideof the device. The output unit 21B includes an output terminal 48 thatis the external terminal 14 for outputting the data from the imagepickup device 1 to the outside of the device, and an output circuit unit47 that is a circuit that outputs the data from the inside of the imagepickup device 1 to the outside of the device, and is a circuit thatdrives an external wiring line connected to the output terminal 48 andis outside the image pickup device 1.

The output unit 21B further includes an output amplitude changing unit46 that changes the amplitude of the signal used inside the image pickupdevice 1 to an amplitude that is easily used by an external deviceconnected to the outside of the image pickup device 1.

The output unit 21B further includes an output data conversion circuitunit 45 that changes arrangement of a data string of output data. Theoutput data conversion circuit unit 45 is, for example, aparallel-to-serial conversion circuit that converts a parallel signalused inside the image pickup device 1 into a serial signal.

The output data conversion circuit unit 45 and the output amplitudechanging unit 46 may be omitted.

In a case where the image pickup device 1 is connected to externalmemory devices such as a flash memory, SRAM, and DRAM, the output unit21B can further include a memory interface circuit that outputs data tothese external memory devices.

Note that, in the present disclosure, for convenience, a circuit blockincluding both or at least one of the input unit 21A and the output unit21B may be referred to as an input/output unit 21. Furthermore, acircuit unit including both or at least one of the input circuit unit 42and the output circuit unit 47 may be referred to as an input/outputcircuit unit 49.

3. Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration of Pixel

FIG. 3 illustrates an example circuit arrangement configuration of apixel 31 of the image pickup device 1 according to the presentembodiment.

The pixel 31 includes a photodiode 51 as a photoelectric conversionelement, a transfer transistor 52, a floating diffusion (FD) 53, a resettransistor 54, an amplifier transistor 55, and a selection transistor56.

The photodiode 51 generates and accumulates a charge (signal charge)corresponding to the amount of light received. The anode terminal of thephotodiode 51 is grounded, and the cathode terminal is connected to theFD 53 via the transfer transistor 52.

When turned on by a transfer signal TR, the transfer transistor 52 readsthe charge generated by the photodiode 51 and transfers the charge tothe FD 53.

The FD 53 holds the electric charge read from the photodiode 51. Whenturned on by a reset signal RST, the reset transistor 54 resets apotential of the FD 53 by discharging the charge accumulated in the FD53 to the drain (constant voltage source Vdd).

The amplifier transistor 55 outputs a pixel signal corresponding to thepotential of the FD 53. In other words, the amplifier transistor 55constitutes a source follower circuit together with a load MOS (notillustrated) as a constant current source connected via the verticalsignal line 33, and the pixel signal indicating a level corresponding tothe charge accumulated in the FD 53 is output from the amplifiertransistor 55 to the column signal processing unit 25 via the selectiontransistor 56 and the vertical signal line 33.

The selection transistor 56 is turned on when the pixel 31 is selectedby a selection signal SEL, and outputs the pixel signal of the pixel 31to the column signal processing unit 25 via the vertical signal line 33.Each of the signal lines through which the transfer signal TR, theselection signal SEL, and the reset signal RST are transmittedcorresponds to the row drive signal line 32 of FIG. 2.

Although the pixel 31 can be configured as described above, it is notlimited to this configuration, and other configurations can be adopted.

4. Example Configuration of Input Circuit Unit and Output Circuit Unit

FIG. 4 illustrates an example circuit arrangement configuration of theinput circuit unit 42 included in the input unit 21A, and the outputcircuit unit 47 included in the output unit 21B of the image pickupdevice 1 according to the present embodiment.

Note that, for one external terminal 14, the input/output circuit unit49 may include either the input circuit unit 42 or the output circuitunit 47, or may include a bidirectional input/output circuit includingboth the input circuit unit 42 and the output circuit unit 47 inparallel.

The input circuit unit 42 is a circuit having the following features.

(1) The input circuit unit 42 is a circuit in which logic is the samebetween the data input from the input terminal 41 of the image pickupdevice 1 to the input circuit unit 42 and the data output from the inputcircuit unit 42 to the internal circuit of the image pickup device 1, orthe logic is only inverted, in other words, it is a circuit that doesnot change the arrangement of the data in the signal string, further inother words, it is a circuit that does not change a position at which“1” and “0” or “Hi” and “Low” of the logic are switched in the signalstring.

(2) The input circuit unit 42 is a circuit that converts a voltageamplitude of a signal input to the input terminal 41 of the image pickupdevice 1 into a voltage amplitude suitable to be received by a circuitarranged at the subsequent stage of the input circuit unit 42, in otherwords, a circuit that is more internal in the image pickup device 1.This circuit may convert the data input to the circuit into a directionin which the voltage amplitude decreases.

(2)′ Alternatively, the input circuit unit 42 is a circuit that convertsa signal (for example, a small amplitude differential signal of LVDS)input to the input circuit unit 42 into a format or a voltage amplitude(for example, a single-end full swing digital signal) suitable to bereceived by the circuit arranged at the subsequent stage of the inputcircuit unit 42, in other words, the circuit that is more internal inthe image pickup device 1, and outputs the converted signal. Thiscircuit may convert the data input to the circuit into a direction inwhich the voltage amplitude increases.

(3) Moreover, in a case where excessive noise is input to the inputcircuit unit 42, a protective circuit may be included that blocks anddoes not propagate the noise to the circuit arranged at the subsequentstage of the input circuit unit 42, in other words, the circuit that ismore internal in the image pickup device 1.

The output circuit unit 47 is a circuit having the following features.

(1) The output circuit unit 47 is a circuit in which logic is the samebetween the data input from the internal circuit of the image pickupdevice 1 to the output circuit unit 47 and the data output from theoutput circuit unit 47 to the outside of the image pickup device 1 viathe output terminal 48 of the image pickup device 1, or the logic isonly inverted, in other words, it is a circuit that does not change thearrangement of the data in the signal string, further in other words, itis a circuit that does not change a position at which “1” and “0” or“Hi” and “Low” of the logic are switched in the signal string.

(2) The output circuit unit 47 is a circuit that increases drive currentcapability of a signal line between the output terminal 48 of the imagepickup device 1 and an external element connected to the image pickupdevice 1. Alternatively, it is a circuit for increasing the voltageamplitude of the signal line. This circuit may convert the data input tothe circuit into the direction in which the voltage amplitude increases.

(2)′ Alternatively, the output circuit unit 47 is a circuit thatconverts a signal (for example, a single-end full swing digital signal)input to the output circuit unit 47 from the internal circuit of theimage pickup device 1 into a format or a voltage amplitude (for example,a small amplitude differential signal of LVDS) suitable to be receivedby the external element connected to the output terminal 48, and outputsthe converted signal. This circuit may convert the data input to thecircuit into the direction in which the voltage amplitude decreases.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the input/output circuit unit 49 including atleast either the input circuit unit 42 or the output circuit unit 47includes one or more transistors. In the present disclosure, forconvenience, a transistor included in the input/output circuit unit 49may be referred to as an input/output transistor. The input/outputcircuit unit 49 may include an inverter circuit, a buffer circuit, orthe like, or may further include an enable circuit that controls inputoperation or output operation.

The input circuit unit 42 or the output circuit unit 47 can also serveas the amplitude changing unit of the input signal or the output signalby appropriately setting the power supply voltage used in the circuit.For example, in a case where an amplitude of a signal in the imagesignal processing unit 26 and a part of the pixel peripheral circuitunit of the image pickup device 1 is V2, and an amplitude of a signalinput from the outside of the image pickup device 1 to the inputterminal 41 or an amplitude of a signal output from the output terminal48 to the outside of the image pickup device 1 is V1 that is greaterthan V2, in the circuit of the input circuit unit 42 or the outputcircuit unit 47 illustrated in FIG. 4, for example, by setting the powersupply voltage of the inverter positioned on the internal circuit sideof the image pickup device 1 to V2 and the power supply voltage of theinverter positioned in the outside direction of the image pickup device1 to V1, the input circuit unit 42 can receive the signal of theamplitude V1 from the outside, and reduce the amplitude to V2 to inputthe signal to the internal circuit of the image pickup device 1, and theoutput circuit unit 47 can receive the signal of the amplitude V2 fromthe internal circuit of the image pickup device 1, and increase theamplitude to V1 to output the signal to the outside.

Note that, in a case where the voltages V1 and V2 illustrated in FIG. 4are set to the same voltage, the configuration does not have thefunction of changing the signal amplitude.

Note that, including the above description, in the present disclosure, avoltage difference between a reference voltage (in the case of thecircuit of FIG. 4, the ground voltage) in a transistor circuit and avoltage that is a voltage of the power supply supplied to the circuitand different from the reference voltage (in the case of the circuit ofFIG. 4, for example, V1) may be simply referred to as a power supplyvoltage.

5. Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration of Image Pickup Device

Next, description will be made for a circuit arrangement of the imagepickup device 1 according to the present embodiment, in other words, howeach block of the image pickup device 1 illustrated in FIG. 2 is dividedand mounted into the upper structural body 11 and the lower structuralbody 12.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a first example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the circuit arrangement in the image pickup device 1.

In the first example circuit arrangement configuration, the pixel arrayunit 24 is arranged in the upper structural body 11.

Among the pixel peripheral circuit units included in the image pickupdevice 1, a part of the row drive unit 22 is arranged in the upperstructural body 11 and a part of the row drive unit 22 is arranged inthe lower structural body 12. For example, in the row drive unit 22, therow drive circuit unit is arranged in the upper structural body 11, andthe row decoder unit is arranged in the lower structural body 12.

The row drive unit 22 arranged in the upper structural body 11 isarranged outside the pixel array unit 24 in the row direction, and atleast a part of the row drive unit 22 arranged in the lower structuralbody 12 is arranged on the lower side of the row drive unit 22 includedin the upper structural body 11.

Among the pixel peripheral circuit units included in the image pickupdevice 1, a part of the column signal processing unit 25 is arranged inthe upper structural body 11 and a part of the column signal processingunit 25 is arranged in the lower structural body 12. For example, in thecolumn signal processing unit 25, the load circuit unit, the amplifiercircuit unit, the noise processing unit, and the comparator unit of theADC are arranged in the upper structural body 11, and the counter unitof the ADC is arranged in the lower structural body 12.

The column signal processing unit 25 arranged in the upper structuralbody 11 is arranged outside the pixel array unit 24 in the columndirection, and at least a part of the column signal processing unit 25arranged in the lower structural body 12 is arranged on the lower sideof the column signal processing unit 25 included in the upper structuralbody 11.

Outside the row drive unit 22 arranged in the upper structural body 11,and outside the row drive unit 22 arranged in the lower structural body12, a wiring connection unit 29 is arranged for connecting wiring linesof these two row drive units 22 together.

Also, outside the column signal processing unit 25 arranged in the upperstructural body 11, and outside the column signal processing unit 25arranged in the lower structural body 12, a wiring connection unit 29 isarranged for connecting wiring lines of these two column signalprocessing units 25 together. In these wiring connection units 29, awiring connection structure is used that is described later withreference to FIG. 6.

The image signal processing unit 26 is arranged inside the row driveunit 22 and the column signal processing unit 25 arranged in the lowerstructural body 12.

In the lower structural body 12, the input/output circuit unit 49 isarranged in a region on the lower side of the pixel array unit 24 of theupper structural body 11.

The input/output circuit unit 49 is a circuit unit including both or atleast one of the input circuit unit 42 and the output circuit unit 47.In a case where the input/output circuit unit 49 includes both the inputcircuit unit 42 and the output circuit unit 47, a plurality of theinput/output circuit units 49 is divided for each one of the externalterminals 14 and arranged in the lower structural body 12. In a casewhere the input/output circuit unit 49 includes only the input circuitunit 42, a plurality of the input circuit units 42 is divided for eachone of the external terminals 14 (input terminals 41) and arranged inthe lower structural body 12.

In a case where the input/output circuit unit 49 includes only theoutput circuit unit 47, a plurality of the output circuit units 47 isdivided for each one of the external terminals 14 (output terminal 48)and arranged in the lower structural body 12. The image signalprocessing unit 26 is arranged around each of the plurality of dividedinput/output circuit units 49. In other words, the input/output circuitunit 49 is arranged within a region where the image signal processingunit 26 is arranged.

Note that, in the lower structural body 12, the input/output circuitunit 49 may be arranged in a region on the lower side of the row driveunit 22 of the upper structural body 11 or a region on the lower side ofthe column signal processing unit 25.

In other words, the input/output circuit unit 49 can be arranged on thelower structural body 12 side where the external terminal 14 is formedand below a region of the pixel array unit 24 of the upper structuralbody 11, or in an arbitrary region below a pixel peripheral circuit unitof the upper structural body 11 (a circuit unit formed in the upperstructural body 11 in a pixel peripheral circuit region 313 in FIG. 6).

Note that, including other example configurations described later, inthe image pickup device 1 according to the present embodiment, in aregion where the input terminal 41 and the input circuit unit 42 or theoutput circuit unit 47 and the output terminal 48 are arranged, a powersupply terminal and a ground terminal may be arranged instead of thesecircuit units and terminals.

Among the transistor circuits arranged in the lower structural body 12,the power supply voltage of the transistor circuit constituting theinput circuit unit 42 and the output circuit unit 47 may be higher thanthe power supply voltage of the transistor circuit constituting theimage signal processing unit 26.

For example, the power supply voltage of the transistor circuitconstituting the input circuit unit 42 and the output circuit unit 47may be 1.8 V to 3.3 V, and the power supply voltage of the transistorcircuit constituting the image signal processing unit 26 may be 1.2 V to1.5 V.

Since the power supply voltages of the former (transistor circuitconstituting the input circuit unit 42 and the output circuit unit 47)and the latter (transistor circuit constituting the image signalprocessing unit 26) are different from each other, a distance forseparately arranging a well region to which the power supply voltage isapplied in the input circuit unit 42 and the output circuit unit 47, anda well region to which the power supply voltage is applied in the imagesignal processing unit 26 arranged around the input circuit unit 42 andthe output circuit unit 47, that is, a so-called well separation regionwidth is desirably greater than a distance provided between a pluralityof the well regions to which the power supply voltage is applied in theimage signal processing unit 26.

Furthermore, the depth of an element isolation region included in theinput circuit unit 42 and the output circuit unit 47 may be deeper thanthe depth of an element isolation region included in the image signalprocessing unit 26. Furthermore, the gate length of the transistorincluded in the input circuit unit 42 and the output circuit unit 47 isdesirably greater than the gate length of the transistor included in theimage signal processing unit 26.

Among the pixel peripheral circuit units included in the image pickupdevice 1, the power supply voltage of the transistor circuitconstituting a part of the pixel peripheral circuit unit arranged in theupper structural body 11, for example, any of the load circuit unit, theamplifier circuit unit, the noise processing unit, and the comparatorunit of the ADC included in the column signal processing unit 25 may behigher than the power supply voltage of the transistor circuitconstituting a part of the pixel peripheral circuit unit arranged in thelower structural body 12, for example, the counter unit of the ADCincluded in the column signal processing unit 25.

As an example, the power supply voltage of the transistor circuit of theformer (the pixel peripheral circuit unit arranged in the upperstructural body 11, for example, any of the load circuit unit, theamplifier circuit unit, the noise processing unit, or the comparatorunit of the ADC included in the column signal processing unit 25) may be1.8 V to 3.3 V, and the power supply voltage of the transistor circuitof the latter (the pixel peripheral circuit unit arranged in the lowerstructural body 12, for example, the counter unit of the ADC) is 1.2 Vto 1.5 V.

The power supply voltage of the latter transistor circuit may be thesame as the power supply voltage of the transistor circuit constitutingthe image signal processing unit 26 arranged in the lower structuralbody 12. Since the power supply voltage of the former transistor circuitis higher than the power supply voltage of the latter transistorcircuit, the distance provided between the plurality of well regions towhich the power supply voltage is applied in the former transistorcircuit is desirably greater than the distance provided between theplurality of well regions to which the power supply voltage is appliedin the latter transistor circuit.

Furthermore, the depth of the element isolation region included in theformer transistor circuit is desirably deeper than the depth of theelement isolation region included in the latter transistor circuit.Furthermore, the gate length of the transistor included in the formertransistor circuit is desirably greater than the gate length of thetransistor included in the latter transistor circuit.

Moreover, the power supply voltage of the pixel transistor circuitconstituting the pixel 31 arranged in the upper structural body 11 maybe the same as the power supply voltage of the transistor circuitconstituting the pixel peripheral circuit unit (for example, any of theload circuit unit, the amplifier circuit unit, the noise processingunit, or the comparator unit of the ADC included in the column signalprocessing unit 25) arranged in the upper structural body 11.

The power supply voltage of the pixel transistor circuit constitutingthe pixel 31 arranged in the upper structural body 11 may be higher thanthe power supply voltage of the transistor circuit constituting theimage signal processing unit 26 or the pixel peripheral circuit unit(for example, the counter unit of the ADC) arranged in the lowerstructural body 12. Therefore, in a case where an element isolationregion is used having a structure of digging the semiconductor substrateas the element isolation region, the depth of a part of the elementisolation region included around the pixel transistor arranged in theupper structural body 11 may be deeper than the depth of the elementisolation region included around the transistor of the image signalprocessing unit 26 or the pixel peripheral circuit unit arranged in thelower structural body 12.

Alternatively, as the element isolation region around the pixeltransistor, not the element isolation region digging the semiconductorsubstrate, but an element isolation region may be used forming animpurity region having a conductivity type opposite to that of thediffusion layer region of the pixel transistor, in a part around thepixel transistor.

Furthermore, the gate length of the pixel transistor arranged in theupper structural body 11 may be greater than the gate length of thetransistor of the image signal processing unit 26 or the pixelperipheral circuit unit arranged in the lower structural body 12. On theother hand, in order to suppress occurrence of a noise charge in thevicinity of the element isolation region where there is a possibility ofincrease due to deepening of the element isolation region, the depth ofthe element isolation region included around the pixel transistorarranged in the upper structural body 11 may be shallower than the depthof the element isolation region included around the transistorconstituting the pixel peripheral circuit unit arranged in the upperstructural body 11.

Alternatively, as the element isolation region around the pixeltransistor, not the element isolation region digging the semiconductorsubstrate, but an element isolation region may be used forming animpurity region having a conductivity type opposite to that of thediffusion layer region of the pixel transistor, in a part around thepixel transistor.

6. Cross-Sectional Structure of Image Pickup Device

The cross-sectional structure and circuit arrangement of the imagepickup device 1 according to the present embodiment will be furtherdescribed with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating across-sectional structure of the image pickup device 1 taken along aline A-A′ of FIG. 5. Note that, for convenience, a part of FIG. 6 isillustrated by being changed to a cross-sectional structure in anotherexample configuration of the present technology described later.

In a portion including the upper structural body 11 included in theimage pickup device 1 and the above portion of the upper structural body11, a pixel array unit 24 is arranged in which the plurality of pixels31 is arrayed in an array, the pixels 31 each including the on-chip lens16, the color filter 15, the pixel transistor, and the photodiode 51. Inthe region (pixel array region) of the pixel array unit 24, a pixeltransistor region 301 is also arranged. The pixel transistor region 301is a region where at least one of the transfer transistor 52, theamplifier transistor 55, and the reset transistor 54 is formed.

The plurality of external terminals 14 is arranged in a regionpositioned on the lower surface of a semiconductor substrate 81 includedin the lower structural body 12 and below the pixel array unit 24included in the upper structural body 11.

Note that, in the description of FIG. 6, the “region positioned on thelower surface of the semiconductor substrate 81 included in the lowerstructural body 12 and below the pixel array unit 24 included in theupper structural body 11” is referred to as a first specific region, anda “region positioned on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate81 included in the lower structural body 12 and below the pixel arrayunit 24 included in the upper structural body 11” is referred to as asecond specific region.

At least a part of the plurality of external terminals 14 arranged inthe first specific region is a signal input terminal 14A for inputting asignal from the outside to the image pickup device 1, or a signal outputterminal 14B for outputting a signal from the image pickup device 1 tothe outside. In other words, the signal input terminal 14A and thesignal output terminal 14B are external terminals 14 excluding the powersupply terminal and the ground terminal from the external terminals 14.In the present disclosure, the signal input terminal 14A or the signaloutput terminal 14B is referred to as a signal input/output terminal14C.

A through-via 88 penetrating through the semiconductor substrate 81 isarranged in a region that is in the first specific region and in thevicinity of the signal input/output terminal 14C. Note that, in thepresent disclosure, a via hole penetrating through the semiconductorsubstrate 81 and a via wiring line formed inside the via hole may becollectively referred to simply as the through-via 88.

The through-via hole desirably has a structure formed by digging fromthe lower surface of the semiconductor substrate 81 to a conductive pad322 that is a part of a multilayer wiring layer 82 arranged above theupper surface of the semiconductor substrate 81 and becomes an end(bottom) of the via hole (hereinafter referred to as a via pad 322).

The signal input/output terminal 14C arranged in the first specificregion is electrically connected to the through-via 88 (morespecifically, to the via wiring line formed in the through-via hole)also arranged in the first specific region.

In a region that is in the second specific region and in the vicinity ofthe signal input/output terminal 14C and the through-via, theinput/output circuit unit 49 is arranged including the input circuitunit 42 or the output circuit unit 47.

The signal input/output terminal 14C arranged in the first specificregion is electrically connected to the input/output circuit unit 49 viathe through-via 88 and the via pad 322, or a part of the multilayerwiring layer 82.

A region where the input/output circuit unit 49 is arranged is referredto as an input/output circuit region 311. On the upper surface of thesemiconductor substrate 81 included in the lower structural body 12, asignal processing circuit region 312 is formed adjacent to theinput/output circuit region 311. The signal processing circuit region312 is a region where the image signal processing unit 26 is formeddescribed with reference to FIG. 2.

A region where the pixel peripheral circuit unit is arranged includingall or part of the column signal processing unit 25 and the row driveunit 22 described with reference to FIG. 2, is referred to as the pixelperipheral circuit region 313. In the lower surface of a semiconductorsubstrate 101 included in the upper structural body 11 and the uppersurface of the semiconductor substrate 81 included in the lowerstructural body 12, in a region on the outside of the pixel array unit24, the pixel peripheral circuit region 313 is arranged.

The signal input/output terminal 14C may be arranged in a region on thelower side of the input/output circuit region 311 arranged in the lowerstructural body 12, or may be arranged in a region on the lower side ofthe signal processing circuit region 312. Alternatively, the signalinput/output terminal 14C may be arranged on the lower side of the pixelperipheral circuit unit such as the row drive unit 22 or the columnsignal processing unit 25 arranged in the lower structural body 12.

In the present disclosure, a wiring connection structure that connects awiring line included in a multilayer wiring layer 102 of the upperstructural body 11 and a wiring line included in the multilayer wiringlayer 82 of the lower structural body 12 together may be referred to asan upper and lower wiring lines connection structure, and a region wherethe structure is arranged is referred to as an upper and lower wiringlines connection region 314.

The upper and lower wiring lines connection structure includes a firstthrough-electrode (through-silicon-electrode) 109 penetrating throughthe semiconductor substrate 101 from the upper surface of the upperstructural body 11 to the multilayer wiring layer 102, a secondthrough-electrode (through-chip-electrode) 105 penetrating through thesemiconductor substrate 101 and the multilayer wiring layer 102 from theupper surface of the upper structural body 11 to the multilayer wiringlayer 82 of the lower structural body 12, and a through-electrodeconnection wiring line 106 for connecting these two through-electrodes(through silicon via, TSV) together. In the present disclosure, such anupper and lower wiring lines connection structure may be referred to asa twin contact structure.

The upper and lower wiring lines connection region 314 is arrangedoutside the pixel peripheral circuit region 313.

In the present embodiment, the pixel peripheral circuit region 313 isformed in both the upper structural body 11 and the lower structuralbody 12, but the pixel peripheral circuit region 313 may be formed onlyin one of the upper structural body 11 and the lower structural body 12.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the upper and lower wiring linesconnection region 314 is arranged in a region that is outside the pixelarray unit 24 and outside the pixel peripheral circuit region 313, butthe upper and lower wiring lines connection region 314 may be arrangedin a region that is outside the pixel array unit 24 and inside the pixelperipheral circuit region 313.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, as the structure that electricallyconnects the multilayer wiring layer 102 of the upper structural body 11and the multilayer wiring layer 82 of the lower structural body 12together, the twin contact structure is adopted that performs connectionusing two through-electrodes of the through-silicon-electrode 109 andthe through-chip-electrodes 105.

As the structure that electrically connects the multilayer wiring layer102 of the upper structural body 11 and the multilayer wiring layer 82of the lower structural body 12 together, for example, a share contactstructure may be used in which a wiring layer 103 of the upperstructural body 11 and a wiring layer 83 of the lower structural body 12are each commonly connected to one through-electrode.

7. Circuit Arrangement of Image Pickup Device in Case where AnotherUpper and Lower Wiring Lines Connection Structure is Used

A circuit arrangement and a cross-sectional structure of the imagepickup device 1 will be described in a case where another upper andlower wiring lines connection structure is used, with reference to FIGS.7 and 8.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional structure of theimage pickup device 1 taken along a line B-B′ of FIG. 7 in a case wherea structure is used different from the upper and lower wiring linesconnection structure illustrated in FIG. 6. Note that, for convenience,a part of FIG. 8 is illustrated by being changed to a cross-sectionalstructure in another example configuration of the present technologydescribed later.

In the pixel peripheral circuit region 313 of FIG. 8, some of wiringlines of the multilayer wiring layer 102 of the upper structural body 11are arranged on the lowermost surface of the multilayer wiring layer102, in other words, on a bonding surface between the upper structuralbody 11 and the lower structural body 12. Furthermore, also some ofwiring lines of the multilayer wiring layer 82 of the lower structuralbody 12 are arranged on the uppermost surface of the multilayer wiringlayer 82, in other words, on the bonding surface between the upperstructural body 11 and the lower structural body 12.

Then, the some of wiring lines of the multilayer wiring layer 102 andthe some of wiring lines of the multilayer wiring layer 82 are arrangedat substantially the same position on the bonding surface, and thewiring lines are electrically connected to each other. As a form ofelectrically connecting the wiring lines, a form may be used in whichtwo wiring lines are directly brought into contact with each other, or aform may be used in which a thin insulating film or a high resistancefilm is formed between two wiring lines, and a part of the formed filmis electrically conducting partially.

Alternatively, a form may be used in which a thin insulating film or ahigh resistance film is formed between two wiring lines, and the twowiring lines propagate an electric signal by capacitive coupling.

In the present disclosure, as a generic name of the structure in whichthe some of wiring lines of the multilayer wiring layer 102 of the upperstructural body 11 and the some of wiring lines of the multilayer wiringlayer 82 of the lower structural body 12 are formed at substantially thesame position on the bonding surface and the two wiring lines areelectrically connected together, the structure may be referred to as anupper and lower wiring lines direct connection structure or simply as awiring lines direct connection structure.

As a specific example of substantially the same position, for example, aposition may be used where the two wiring lines to be electricallyconnected together overlap each other at least in a part thereof in acase where the image pickup device 1 is viewed from the upper side tothe lower side in a plan view. In a case where, for example, copper (Cu)is used as a material of the two wiring lines to be connected together,the connection structure may be referred to as a Cu—Cu direct bondingstructure or simply as a Cu—Cu bonding structure.

In a case where the upper and lower wiring lines direct connectionstructure is used, the connection structure can be arranged outside thepixel array unit 24. Alternatively, the connection structure can bearranged inside the pixel peripheral circuit region 313 included in theupper structural body 11, and inside the pixel peripheral circuit region313 included in the lower structural body 12.

More specifically, among the wiring lines constituting the upper andlower wiring lines direct connection structure, the wiring line to bearranged on the side of the upper structural body 11 of the bondingsurface can be arranged on the lower side of the circuit included in thepixel peripheral circuit region 313 of the upper structural body 11.Furthermore, among the wiring lines constituting the upper and lowerwiring lines direct connection structure, the wiring line to be arrangedon the side of the lower structural body 12 of the bonding surface canbe arranged on the upper side of the circuit included in the pixelperipheral circuit region 313 of the lower structural body 12.Alternatively, by using the wiring line arranged in the pixel array unit24 (pixel transistor region 301) as the wiring line of the upperstructural body 11, the upper and lower wiring lines direct connectionstructure by the wiring line arranged in the pixel array unit 24 and thewiring line of the lower structural body 12 can be arranged below thepixel array unit 24 (pixel transistor region 301).

Second Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a second example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the image pickup device 1.

In the second example circuit arrangement configuration, the upper andlower wiring lines direct connection structure is used as the upper andlower wiring lines connection structure.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the arrangement of the pixel array unit 24 inthe second example circuit arrangement configuration is similar to thefirst example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated in FIG. 5.In other words, the pixel array unit 24 is arranged in the upperstructural body 11.

Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the arrangement of the row driveunit 22 and the column signal processing unit 25 of the image pickupdevice 1 in the second example circuit arrangement configuration is alsosimilar to the arrangement of the first example circuit arrangementconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 5.

On the other hand, the arrangement of an upper and lower wiring linesconnection portion in the second example circuit arrangementconfiguration is different from the arrangement of the first examplecircuit arrangement configuration illustrated in FIG. 5.

The connection between the wiring line of the row drive unit 22 arrangedin the upper structural body 11 and the wiring line of the row driveunit 22 arranged in the lower structural body 12 is formed in a regionwhere the row drive unit 22 arranged in the upper structural body 11 andthe row drive unit 22 arranged in the lower structural body 12 overlapeach other, by using the upper and lower wiring lines direct connectionstructure.

The connection between the wiring line of the column signal processingunit 25 arranged in the upper structural body 11 and the wiring line ofthe column signal processing unit 25 arranged in the lower structuralbody 12 is formed in a region where the column signal processing unit 25arranged in the upper structural body 11 and the column signalprocessing unit 25 arranged in the lower structural body 12 overlap eachother, by using the upper and lower wiring lines direct connectionstructure.

In the first example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated inFIG. 5, the upper and lower wiring lines connection structure forconnection of the wiring lines of the row drive unit 22 and the upperand lower wiring lines connection structure for connection of the wiringlines of the column signal processing unit 25 are arranged in the wiringconnection units 29 outside the row drive unit 22 and outside the columnsignal processing unit 25, respectively. On the other hand, in thesecond example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated in FIG. 7,the upper and lower wiring lines connection structure for connection ofthe wiring lines of the row drive unit 22 and the upper and lower wiringlines connection structure for connection of the wiring lines of thecolumn signal processing unit 25 are formed within the region of the rowdrive unit 22 and within the region of the column signal processing unit25, respectively. Therefore, in the image pickup device 1 described inthe second example circuit arrangement configuration, the wiringconnection unit 29 is omitted in the upper structural body 11 and thelower structural body 12, and a device can be implemented having asmaller external size than the image pickup device 1 described in thefirst example circuit arrangement configuration.

8. Comparative Example with Other Image Pickup Devices ComparativeExample 1

Features of the structure of the image pickup device 1 will be describedas compared with the structure of another image pickup device.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a cross section in a final shape of animage pickup device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-OpenNo. 2014-72294 (hereinafter referred to as Comparative StructureDisclosure Document 1) as Comparative Example 1.

An image pickup device 600 of FIG. 9 has a structure in which a firstportion 623 and a second portion 643 are layered, the first portion 623including a first wiring portion 622 and a first element portion 621including a first semiconductor layer 611, the second portion 643including a second wiring portion 642 and a second element portion 641including a second semiconductor layer 631. On the back surface side ofthe first portion 623, an optical member 653 is arranged including acolor filter 651, an on-chip lens 652, and the like.

The image pickup device 600 has a structure that connects a first wiringline 661 and a second wiring line 663 together via a conductive member662, outside transistors Tr 3 and Tr 4 constituting a control unit, andoutside a region where transistors Tr 5 to Tr 8 constituting a signalprocessing unit are arranged, and an external terminal 664 is arrangedoutside this connection structure. Note that, there is no description ofwhere the input/output circuit is arranged.

On the other hand, the present technology has a structure in which (1)the external terminal 14, (2) the semiconductor region where the inputcircuit unit 42 or the output circuit unit 47 connected to the externalterminal 14 is formed, (3) the semiconductor region where the photodiode51 that performs image pickup and the pixel transistor are formed, (4)the color filter 15 and the on-chip lens 16, and (5) the protectivesubstrate 18 are layered in substantially the same region, whereby theexternal size can be made smaller than the image pickup device 600 ofFIG. 9.

The image pickup device 600 of FIG. 9 does not include a protectivesubstrate for protecting the on-chip lens 652 on the upper side of theon-chip lens 652 in its final shape. Then, in Comparative StructureDisclosure Document 1, as a method of manufacturing the image pickupdevice 600 of FIG. 9, it is described that the first portion 623 and thesecond portion 643 are bonded, the color filter 651 and the on-chip lens652 are formed, and thereafter the substrate is inverted, and then anopening exposing an electrode unit and the external terminal 664 areformed. When forming the external terminal 664, it is necessary to crimpthe external terminal 664 onto a metal wiring line by applying a stressof greater than or equal to a specific value. In the image pickup device600 including no protective substrate on the on-chip lens 652, if theexternal terminal 664 is formed by the above manufacturing method, whenthe external terminal 664 is crimped, the on-chip lens 652 is pressedagainst the manufacturing apparatus, and the on-chip lens 652 may bescratched.

Moreover, in the image pickup device 600 of FIG. 9, the externalterminal 664 is formed in a region outside a pixel array unit, and isnot formed immediately below the on-chip lens 652. In this case, forceapplied to the on-chip lens 652 when the external terminal 664 iscrimped becomes force obtained by diagonally dispersing force applied tocrimp the external terminal 664.

Provisionally, in a case where the external terminal 664 is formedimmediately below a pixel region, that is, immediately below the on-chiplens 652 in order to implement an image pickup device having a smallexternal size, the on-chip lens 652 exists on an extended line of adirection of the force applied to crimp the external terminal 664, sothat the force applied to the on-chip lens 652 becomes greater, and theoccurrence of scratches on the on-chip lens 652 may become more serious.

Furthermore, in Comparative Structure Disclosure Document 1, amanufacturing method is also disclosed of forming the color filter 651and the on-chip lens 652 after forming the external terminal 664.

However, in the case of the manufacturing method, in a state in which anumber of protrusions by the external terminals 664 are included on thesurface of the image pickup device, when the color filter 651 and theon-chip lens 652 are formed, it may be difficult to fix the image pickupdevice to the manufacturing apparatus with a general method such as avacuum suction method.

On the other hand, the image pickup device 1 of FIG. 1 includes theprotective substrate 18 above the on-chip lens 16. Therefore, it ispossible to form the external terminal 14 without pressing the on-chiplens 16 against the manufacturing apparatus of the external terminal 14.The image pickup device 1 enables the structure in which (1) theexternal terminal 14, (2) the semiconductor region where the inputcircuit unit 42 or the output circuit unit 47 connected to the externalterminal 14 is formed, (3) the semiconductor region where the photodiode51 that performs image pickup and the pixel transistor are formed, (4)the color filter 15 and the on-chip lens 16, and (5) the protectivesubstrate 18 are layered in substantially the same region, and theexternal size can be made smaller than the image pickup device 600 ofFIG. 9.

Comparative Example 2

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cross section in a final shape of animage pickup device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-OpenNo. 2010-50149 (Comparative Structure Disclosure Document 2) asComparative Example 2.

An image pickup device 700 of FIG. 10 is divided into an image pickupregion 722 where a photodiode (not illustrated), a color filter 711, anon-chip lens 712, and the like are formed, and a peripheral region 723formed around the image pickup region 722.

In the peripheral region 723, a first pad 724 is arranged for a drivepulse and signal input/output. A bonding wire 725 is connected to thefirst pad 724. Then, a second pad 726 is arranged for giving a referencepotential Vss, in the image pickup region 722. An external terminal(solder ball) 727 is provided on the second pad 726.

As described above, the image pickup device 700 includes the externalterminal 727 on the lower side of a pixel array.

The image pickup device 1 has the structure in which (1) the externalterminal 14, (2) the semiconductor region where the input circuit unit42 or the output circuit unit 47 connected to the external terminal 14is formed, (3) the semiconductor region where the photodiode 51 thatperforms image pickup and the pixel transistor are formed, (4) the colorfilter 15 and the on-chip lens 16, and (5) the protective substrate 18are layered in substantially the same region, whereby the external sizecan be made smaller than the image pickup device 700 of FIG. 10.

The image pickup device 700 of FIG. 10 is a solid state semiconductordevice that does not include a layered structure like the upperstructural body 11 and the lower structural body 12 of the image pickupdevice 1, in other words, that includes only one layer of asemiconductor substrate including a transistor circuit.

In the image pickup device 700 disclosed in FIG. 10, a via 732penetrating through a support substrate 731, and the external terminal727 are formed on the lower side of the pixel array in the image pickupregion 722 in its final shape.

However, the external terminal 727 formed in FIG. 10 is a terminal forthe reference potential Vss (ground potential). The terminal of thereference potential Vss does not require an input circuit including atransistor circuit when the reference potential Vss is supplied to theinside of the image pickup device. Therefore, in the image pickup device700 disclosed in FIG. 10, the external terminal 727 for the referencepotential Vss can be arranged on the lower side of the image pickupregion 722.

On the other hand, in the image pickup region 722, pixels each includinga photodiode and a pixel transistor are arranged side by side.Therefore, in the case of a structure that includes only one layer ofthe semiconductor substrate 741 including a transistor circuit, it isdifficult to form an input circuit together within a pixel region in thesemiconductor substrate 741 including pixels. Therefore, in the imagepickup device 700 including only one layer of the semiconductorsubstrate 741 disclosed in FIG. 10, it is possible to arrange a powersupply terminal that does not require an input/output circuit on thelower side of the pixel region, but it is not possible to arrange anexternal terminal that requires an input circuit or an output circuit,in other words an external terminal for signal input or signal output.

Moreover, the image pickup device 700 of FIG. 10 does not include aprotective substrate on the on-chip lens 712, similarly to the imagepickup device 600 illustrated in FIG. 9. Therefore, a problem occursthat the on-chip lens 712 is scratched when the external terminal iscrimped.

On the other hand, the image pickup device 1 has a structure in which aplurality of semiconductor substrates including a transistor circuit islayered. As a result, it is possible to arrange the external terminal 14that requires an input circuit or an output circuit, in other words, thesignal input/output terminal 14C for signal input or signal output, onthe lower side of the pixel region.

Furthermore, the image pickup device 1 includes the protective substrate18 on the on-chip lens 16.

Therefore, it is possible to form the external terminal 14 withoutpressing the on-chip lens 16 against the manufacturing apparatus of theexternal terminal 14. As a result, the image pickup device 1 enables thestructure in which (1) the external terminal 14, (2) the semiconductorregion where the input circuit unit 42 or the output circuit unit 47connected to the external terminal 14 is formed, (3) the semiconductorregion where the photodiode 51 that performs image pickup and the pixeltransistor are formed, (4) the color filter 15 and the on-chip lens 16,and (5) the protective substrate 18 are layered in substantially thesame region, and the external size can be made smaller than the imagepickup device 700 of FIG. 10.

Comparative Example 3

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a cross section in a final shape of animage pickup device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-OpenNo. 2011-9645 (Comparative Structure Disclosure Document 3) asComparative Example 3.

An image pickup device 800 of FIG. 11 includes an image pickup element812 including a photodiode and a transistor on a first principal surface(upper surface) of a semiconductor substrate 811. On the upper side ofthe image pickup element 812, a multilayer wiring layer 813, a colorfilter 814, an overcoat 815, and an on-chip lens 816 are formed.Furthermore, the image pickup device 800 includes a protective substrate817 on the upper side of the on-chip lens 816.

Outside the image pickup pixel unit 822 including the image pickupelement 812, the color filter 814, and the on-chip lens 816, aperipheral circuit unit 823 is arranged including athrough-silicon-electrode 831 penetrating through the semiconductorsubstrate 811, an external terminal (solder ball) 832 to be connected tothe outside, and the like.

Similarly to the image pickup device 700 of Comparative Example 2, theimage pickup device 800 of FIG. 11 is a solid state semiconductor devicethat does not include a layered structure in which an upper structuralbody and a lower structural body are layered, in other words, thatincludes only one layer of a semiconductor substrate including atransistor circuit. Therefore, it is not possible to arrange an externalterminal that requires an input circuit or an output circuit, in otherwords, an external input terminal for signal input or signal output, onthe lower side of a pixel region.

On the other hand, the image pickup device 1 has a structure in which aplurality of semiconductor substrates including a transistor circuit islayered. As a result, it is possible to arrange the external terminal 14that requires an input circuit or an output circuit, in other words, theexternal terminal 14 for signal input or signal output, on the lowerside of the pixel region.

As a result, the image pickup device 1 enables the structure in which(1) the external terminal 14, (2) the semiconductor region where theinput circuit unit 42 or the output circuit unit 47 connected to theexternal terminal 14 is formed, (3) the semiconductor region where thephotodiode 51 that performs image pickup and the pixel transistor areformed, (4) the color filter 15 and the on-chip lens 16, and (5) theprotective substrate 18 are layered in substantially the same region,and the external size can be made smaller than the image pickup device800 of FIG. 11.

Furthermore, in a case where the through-silicon-electrode 831 is formedonly in the outer peripheral portion (the peripheral circuit unit 823)of the device as in the image pickup device 800 of FIG. 11, similarly, apower supply terminal and a ground terminal are arranged only in theouter peripheral portion of the device.

In this case, it has been necessary to arrange a large number of powersupply terminals and ground terminals for countermeasures against IRdrop and wiring delay. On the other hand, in the image pickup device 1,since a plurality of the through-vias 88 can be arranged in an arbitraryregion of the lower structural body 12 inside from the upper and lowersubstrates connection region 314, some of the through-vias 88 can beused for the power supply terminal and the ground terminal. In otherwords, the power supply terminal and the ground terminal can also bearranged in the arbitrary region. As a result, the number of powersupply terminals and ground terminals can be reduced as compared with acase where the power supply terminal and the ground terminal arearranged only in the outer peripheral portion. As a result, a circuitarea of the entire image pickup device 1 can be reduced.

Difference Between Image Pickup Device of FIG. 1 and Comparative Example

The image pickup device 1 has the structure in which (1) the externalterminal 14, (2) the semiconductor region where the input circuit unit42 or the output circuit unit 47 connected to the external terminal 14is formed, (3) the semiconductor region where the photodiode 51 thatperforms image pickup and the pixel transistor are formed, (4) the colorfilter 15 and the on-chip lens 16, and (5) the protective substrate 18are layered in substantially the same region, whereby the external sizecan be made smaller.

In the case of the image pickup device having the semiconductor layeredstructure without the protective substrate given in Comparative Example1 and Comparative Example 2, the on-chip lens may be scratched. In otherwords, there is an inhibitory factor to obtain an image pickup devicehaving an external size equivalent to that of the present technology byadopting a structure in which the above (1) to (4) are layered insubstantially the same region. That is, a function and effect of“implementing a compact image pickup device by layering the above (1) to(4) in substantially the same region” is a function and effect thatcannot be obtained by the image pickup device having the semiconductorlayered structure without the protective substrate given in ComparativeExample 1 and Comparative Example 2.

In the case of the solid state semiconductor device including only onelayer of the semiconductor substrate including the transistor circuitgiven in Comparative Example 3, it is not possible to obtain an imagepickup device having an external size equivalent to that of the presenttechnology by adopting the structure in which the above (1) to (5) arelayered in substantially the same region. In other words, there is aninhibitory factor. That is, a function and effect of “implementing acompact image pickup device by layering the above (1) to (5) insubstantially the same region” is a function and effect that cannot beobtained by the image pickup device that includes only one layer of thesemiconductor substrate including the transistor circuit given inComparative Example 3.

As described above, in the present technology, a function and effect of“implementing an image pickup device having a smaller external size thanthe image pickup device not including a structure by the structure inwhich the above-described (1) to (5) are layered in substantially thesame region” is a function and effect that cannot be obtained by theconfiguration alone of the “image pickup device having the semiconductorlayered structure without the protective substrate” described inComparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2, and also is a functionand effect that cannot be obtained by the configuration alone of the“image pickup device that includes only one layer of the semiconductorsubstrate including the transistor circuit” described in ComparativeExample 3.

9. Other Example Circuit Arrangement Configurations of Image PickupDevice Third Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a third example circuit arrangementconfiguration that is another example circuit arrangement configurationof the image pickup device 1 and is a modification of the first examplecircuit arrangement configuration.

In the first example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated inFIG. 5, the input/output circuit units 49 are arranged separately foreach one of the external terminals 14. Then, the image signal processingunit 26 surrounds the periphery of each of the input/output circuitunits 49.

On the other hand, in the third example circuit arrangementconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 12, the input/output circuit units 49are collectively arranged for each of the plurality of externalterminals 14. In the inside of a region of one of the input/outputcircuit units 49, for example, the input/output circuit unit 49 of acertain external terminal 14 and the input/output circuit unit 49 ofanother external terminal 14 are arranged in contact with each other,and the image signal processing unit 26 is not arranged between theseinput/output circuit units 49.

As compared with the first example circuit arrangement configuration inwhich the input/output circuit unit 49 and the image signal processingunit 26 respectively having different power supply voltages arealternately arranged adjacent to each other, in the third examplecircuit arrangement configuration in which the input/output circuitunits 49 having the same power supply voltage are collectively arrangedas one block of an input/output circuit unit region, the number ofplaces is reduced where the wells having different power supply voltagesare arranged separately, so that there is a possibility that morecircuits can be mounted to, for example, the image signal processingunit 26, in the lower structural body 12, even if the external sizes ofthe image pickup devices 1 are the same as each other.

Moreover, in the third example circuit arrangement configurationillustrated in FIG. 12, some of the input/output circuit units 49 may bearranged on the lower side of the pixel peripheral circuit unit includedin the upper structural body 11, for example, the lower side of the rowdrive unit 22 included in the upper structural body 11, or outside aregion where the image signal processing unit 26 included in the lowerstructural body 12 is arranged, instead of being arranged on the lowerside of the pixel array unit 24 included in the upper structural body11. As a result, there is a possibility that even more circuits can bemounted to, for example, the image signal processing unit 26, in thelower structural body 12, even if the external sizes of the image pickupdevices 1 are the same as each other.

Fourth Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a fourth example circuit arrangementconfiguration that is another example circuit arrangement configurationof the image pickup device 1 and is a modification of the first andthird example circuit arrangement configurations.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional structure of theimage pickup device 1 taken along a line C-C′ of FIG. 13. Note that, forconvenience, a part of FIG. 14 is illustrated by being changed to across-sectional structure in another example configuration of thepresent technology described later.

In the fourth example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated inFIGS. 13 and 14, all of the input/output circuit units 49, in otherwords, the input circuit units 42 and the output circuit units 47, arearranged in the outer peripheral portion of a region where the imagesignal processing unit 26 included in the lower structural body 12 isarranged. A region where the input/output circuit units 49 are arrangedmay be on the lower side of the row drive unit 22 and the column signalprocessing unit 25 (the pixel peripheral circuit region 313) included inthe upper structural body 11, or may be on the outer peripheral portionlower side of the pixel array unit 24 included in the upper structuralbody 11.

Note that, the region where the input/output circuit units 49 arearranged need not be arranged without any discontinuity over the entirerow direction of the column signal processing unit 25, for example, andthere may be a region where the input/output circuit units 49 are notarranged between the column signal processing unit 25 and the imagesignal processing unit 26.

Furthermore, the region where the input/output circuit units 49 arearranged need not be arranged without any discontinuity over the entirecolumn direction of the row drive unit 22, and there may be a regionwhere the input/output circuit units 49 are not arranged between the rowdrive unit 22 and the image signal processing unit 26.

With the fourth example circuit arrangement configuration, the number ofplaces where the wells having different power supply voltages arearranged separately is reduced as compared with the third examplecircuit arrangement configuration, so that there is a possibility thatmore circuits can be mounted to, for example, the image signalprocessing unit 26, in the lower structural body 12, even if theexternal sizes of the image pickup devices 1 are the same as each other.

Fifth Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a fifth example circuit arrangementconfiguration that is another example circuit arrangement configurationof the image pickup device 1 and is a modification of the first, third,and fourth example circuit arrangement configurations.

In the fourth example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated inFIG. 13, there is a region where the input/output circuit units 49 arenot arranged between the column signal processing unit 25 and the imagesignal processing unit 26, and between the row drive unit 22 and theimage signal processing unit 26.

On the other hand, in the fifth example circuit arrangementconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 15, the input/output circuit units 49are arranged in rows extending over the entire row direction of thecolumn signal processing unit 25, and furthermore, over the entirecolumn direction of the row drive unit 22. As a result, there is apossibility that the area of the input/output circuit units 49 can beincreased.

Furthermore, in the fifth example circuit arrangement configuration,there is a possibility that more circuits can be mounted to, forexample, the image signal processing unit 26, in the lower structuralbody 12, even if the external size of the image pickup device 1 is thesame as that of the image pickup device 1 of the first and third examplecircuit arrangement configurations.

Sixth Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a sixth example circuit arrangementconfiguration that is another example circuit arrangement configurationof the image pickup device 1 and is a modification of the first andthird example circuit arrangement configurations.

In the first and third example circuit arrangement configurations, theinput/output circuit units 49 are arranged in a region on the lower sideof the pixel array unit 24 of the upper structural body 11, in the lowerstructural body 12, and the image signal processing unit 26 is arrangedaround the input/output circuit units 49.

In the sixth example circuit arrangement configuration of FIG. 16, theimage signal processing unit 26 of the lower structural body 12 isarranged having a configuration including a plurality of (three in FIG.16) circuit blocks divided by a broken line. Then, in the sixth examplecircuit arrangement configuration, the input/output circuit units 49 arearranged in a portion on a block boundary of a circuit block included inthe image signal processing unit 26, or on a boundary with the row driveunit 22.

In a case where the image signal processing unit 26 is arranged to bedivided into a plurality of circuit blocks, a ground line and a powersupply line to the circuit included in each circuit block are sometimesarranged in the block boundary portion. Therefore, there are cases wherethe circuits are arranged so that a distance between the circuits in theblock boundary portion is greater than a distance between the circuitsinside the circuit block.

By arranging the input/output circuit units 49 in the boundary portionof the circuit block in which the circuit density is relatively low asdescribed above, there is a possibility that the layout design of thecircuit can be facilitated and the input/output circuit units 49 can bearranged without lowering the degree of integration of the circuits, ascompared with a case where the input/output circuit units 49 arearranged inside the circuit block. As a result, there is a possibilitythat more circuits can be mounted to, for example, the image signalprocessing unit 26, in the lower structural body 12, by using the sixthexample circuit arrangement configuration, even if the external sizes ofthe image pickup devices 1 are the same as each other.

Seventh Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a seventh example circuit arrangementconfiguration that is another example circuit arrangement configurationof the image pickup device 1 and is a modification of the fifth examplecircuit arrangement configuration.

In the seventh example circuit arrangement configuration of FIG. 17, thearea of the row drive unit 22 arranged in the lower structural body 12is greater than the area of the row drive unit 22 arranged in the upperstructural body 11. Furthermore, the row drive unit 22 arranged in thelower structural body 12 is arranged to be extended toward the inside ofthe device as compared with the row drive unit 22 arranged in the upperstructural body 11.

Similarly, the area of the column signal processing unit 25 arranged inthe lower structural body 12 is greater than the area of the columnsignal processing unit 25 arranged in the upper structural body 11.Furthermore, the column signal processing unit 25 arranged in the lowerstructural body 12 is arranged to be extended toward the inside of thedevice as compared with the column signal processing unit 25 arranged inthe upper structural body 11.

As a result, in the seventh example circuit arrangement configuration,as compared with the fifth example circuit arrangement configurationillustrated in FIG. 15, there is a possibility that the external size ofthe image pickup device 1 can be reduced even if the sizes of the pixelarray units 24 of the image pickup devices 1 are the same as each other.

Note that, the example arrangement of the row drive unit 22 and thecolumn signal processing unit 25 given in the seventh example circuitarrangement configuration can also be adapted to other exampleconfigurations of the present technology.

Eighth Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an eighth example circuit arrangementconfiguration that is another example circuit arrangement configurationof the image pickup device 1 and is a modification of the seventhexample circuit arrangement configuration.

In the seventh example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated inFIG. 17, the row drive unit 22 is arranged also in the upper structuralbody 11, although the area is smaller than that of the row drive unit 22arranged in the lower structural body 12. Similarly, the column signalprocessing unit 25 is arranged also in the upper structural body 11,although the area is smaller than that of the column signal processingunit 25 arranged in the lower structural body 12.

On the other hand, in the eighth example circuit arrangementconfiguration of FIG. 18, the row drive unit 22 and the column signalprocessing unit 25 are arranged only in the lower structural body 12. Asignal output from the row drive unit 22 to the pixel array unit 24 istransmitted from the row drive unit 22 arranged in the lower structuralbody 12 to the pixel array unit 24 arranged in the upper structural body11 via the wiring connection unit 29 including the upper and lowerwiring lines connection structure of the pixel peripheral circuit region313 illustrated in FIG. 8.

Similarly, a signal input from the pixel array unit 24 to the columnsignal processing unit 25 is transmitted from the pixel array unit 24arranged in the upper structural body 11 to the column signal processingunit 25 arranged in the lower structural body 12 via the wiringconnection unit 29 including the upper and lower wiring lines connectionstructure of the pixel peripheral circuit region 313 illustrated in FIG.8. As a result, as compared with the seventh example circuit arrangementconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 17, in the eighth example circuitarrangement configuration, there is a possibility that the external sizeof the image pickup device 1 can be reduced even if the sizes of thepixel array units 24 of the image pickup devices 1 are the same as eachother.

Note that, the example arrangement of the row drive unit 22 and thecolumn signal processing unit 25 given in the eighth example circuitarrangement configuration can also be adapted to other exampleconfigurations of the present technology.

Ninth Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a ninth example circuit arrangementconfiguration that is another example circuit arrangement configurationof the image pickup device 1 and is a modification of the fifth examplecircuit arrangement configuration.

In the ninth example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated inFIG. 19, the row drive unit 22 and the column signal processing unit 25are all arranged in the upper structural body 11. Then, in the lowerstructural body 12, in a region positioned on the lower side of the rowdrive unit 22 and the column signal processing unit 25 arranged in theupper structural body 11, the image signal processing unit 26 isarranged to be extended in an outer peripheral direction, as comparedwith the fifth example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated inFIG. 15.

Furthermore, the input/output circuit units 49 may be arranged in aregion positioned on the lower side of the row drive unit 22 and thecolumn signal processing unit 25 arranged in the upper structural body11. As a result, as compared with the fifth example circuit arrangementconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 15, in the ninth example circuitarrangement configuration, there is a possibility that the area of theimage signal processing unit 26 can be increased and more circuits canbe mounted to the image signal processing unit 26 even if the sizes ofthe pixel array units 24 of the image pickup devices 1 are the same aseach other.

Note that, the example arrangement of the row drive unit 22 and thecolumn signal processing unit 25 given in the ninth example circuitarrangement configuration can also be adapted to other exampleconfigurations of the present technology.

Tenth Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration

FIG. 20 is a Diagram Illustrating a Tenth Example circuit arrangementconfiguration that is another example circuit arrangement configurationof the image pickup device 1 and is a modification of the second examplecircuit arrangement configuration.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional structure of theimage pickup device 1 taken along a line D-D′ of FIG. 20. Note that, forconvenience, a part of FIG. 21 is illustrated by being changed to across-sectional structure in another example configuration of thepresent technology described later.

In the tenth circuit arrangement example illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21,similarly to the second example circuit arrangement configurationillustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the upper and lower wiring lines directconnection structure can be arranged inside the peripheral circuitregion 313 included in the upper structural body 11, and inside thepixel peripheral circuit region 313 included in the lower structuralbody 12.

Furthermore, in the tenth example circuit arrangement configurationillustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, all of the input/output circuit units49, in other words, the input circuit units 42 and the output circuitunits 47 are arranged outside a region where the image signal processingunit 26 of the lower structural body 12 is arranged. A region where theinput/output circuit units 49 are arranged may be on the lower side ofthe row drive unit 22 and the column signal processing unit 25 includedin the upper structural body 11, or may be on the lower side of thepixel array unit 24 included in the upper structural body 11.

Note that, the region where the Input/output circuit units 49 arearranged need not be arranged without any discontinuity over the entirerow direction of the column signal processing unit 25, for example, and,there may be a region where the input/output circuit units 49 are notarranged between the column signal processing unit 25 and the imagesignal processing unit 26.

Furthermore, the region where the input/output circuit units 49 arearranged need not be arranged without any discontinuity over the entirecolumn direction of the row drive unit 22, and there may be a regionwhere the input/output circuit units 49 are not arranged between the rowdrive unit 22 and the image signal processing unit 26. With the tenthexample circuit arrangement configuration, there is a possibility thatmore circuits can be mounted to, for example, the image signalprocessing unit 26, in the lower structural body 12, even if theexternal size of the image pickup device 1 is the same as that of theimage pickup device 1 of the second example circuit arrangementconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 7.

Note that, the example arrangement of the circuit given in the tenthexample circuit arrangement configuration can also be adapted to otherexample configurations of the present technology.

Eleventh Example Circuit Arrangement Configuration

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an eleventh example circuitarrangement configuration that is another example circuit arrangementconfiguration of the image pickup device 1 and is a modification of thetenth example circuit arrangement configuration.

In the tenth example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated inFIG. 20, a part of the row drive unit 22 and a part of the column signalprocessing unit 25 are arranged in both the upper structural body 11 andthe lower structural body 12. Then, in the lower structural body 12, theinput/output circuit units 49 are arranged in a region that is on thelower side of the row drive unit 22 arranged in the upper structuralbody 11 and on the inside from the row drive unit 22 arranged in thelower structural body 12 of the device.

Similarly, in the lower structural body 12, the input/output circuitunits 49 are arranged in a region that is on the lower side of thecolumn signal processing unit 25 arranged in the upper structural body11 and on the inside from the column signal processing unit 25 arrangedin the lower structural body 12 of the device.

In the eleventh example circuit arrangement configuration illustrated inFIG. 22, a part of the row drive unit 22 and a part of the column signalprocessing unit 25 are arranged in both the upper structural body 11 andthe lower structural body 12. Then, in the lower structural body 12, theinput/output circuit units 49 are arranged in a region that is on thelower side of the row drive unit 22 arranged in the upper structuralbody 11 and on the outside from the row drive unit 22 arranged in thelower structural body 12 of the device. Similarly, in the lowerstructural body 12, the input/output circuit units 49 are arranged in aregion that is on the lower side of the column signal processing unit 25arranged in the upper structural body 11 and on the outside from thecolumn signal processing unit 25 arranged in the lower structural body12 of the device.

As a result, as compared with the tenth example circuit arrangementconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 20, there is a possibility that, forexample, in the lower structural body 12, arrangement can be facilitatedof a signal line between the image signal processing unit 26 and the rowdrive unit 22 arranged in the lower structural body 12 and a signal linebetween the image signal processing unit 26 and the column signalprocessing unit 25, or these signal lines can be arranged with highdensity.

Note that, the example arrangement of the circuit given in the eleventhexample circuit arrangement configuration can also be adapted to otherexample configurations of the present technology.

10. Detailed Structure of Image Pickup Device

Next, with reference to FIG. 23, a detailed structure of the imagepickup device 1 will be described. FIG. 23 is an enlargedcross-sectional view illustrating near the outer periphery of the imagepickup device 1 having the twin contact structure.

On the lower structural body 12, the multilayer wiring layer 82 isformed on the upper side (upper structural body 11 side) of thesemiconductor substrate 81 including silicon (Si), for example. Themultilayer wiring layer 82 forms the input/output circuit region 311,the signal processing circuit region 312 (not illustrated in FIG. 23),the pixel peripheral circuit region 313, and the like illustrated inFIG. 6.

The multilayer wiring layer 82 includes a plurality of the wiring layers83 including an uppermost wiring layer 83 a closest to the upperstructural body 11, an intermediate wiring layer 83 b, a lowermostwiring layer 83 c closest to the semiconductor substrate 81, and thelike, and an interlayer insulating film 84 formed between the wiringlayers 83.

The plurality of wiring layers 83 is formed by using, for example,copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), or the like, and theinterlayer insulating film 84 includes, for example, a silicon oxidefilm, a silicon nitride film, or the like. For each of the plurality ofwiring layers 83 and the interlayer insulating film 84, all layers mayinclude the same material, or two or more materials may be useddepending on the layer.

A through-silicon hole 85 penetrating through the semiconductorsubstrate 81 is formed at a predetermined position of the semiconductorsubstrate 81, and a connection conductor 87 is embedded in the innerwall of the silicon through hole 85 via an insulating film 86, wherebythe through-via (through silicon via (TSV)) 88 is formed.

The insulating film 86 can include, for example, SiO2 film, SiN film, orthe like. In the present embodiment, the through via 88 has an invertedtapered shape in which a plane area of the wiring layer 83 side issmaller than that of the external terminal 14 side, but on the contrary,the through-via 88 may have a forward tapered shape in which a planearea of the external terminal 14 side is smaller, or may have anon-tapered shape in which the areas of the external terminal 14 sideand the wiring layer 83 side are substantially the same as each other.

The connection conductor 87 of the through-via 88 is connected to arewiring line 90 formed on the lower surface side of the semiconductorsubstrate 81, and the rewiring line 90 is connected to the externalterminal 14. The connection conductor 87 and the rewiring line 90 caninclude, for example, copper (Cu), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), tantalum(Ta), titanium tungsten alloy (TiW), polysilicon, or the like.

Furthermore, a solder mask (solder resist) 91 is formed on the lowersurface side of the semiconductor substrate 81 to cover the rewiringline 90 and the insulating film 86 except for a region where theexternal terminal 14 is formed.

On the other hand, in the upper structural body 11, the multilayerwiring layer 102 is formed on the lower side (lower structural body 12side) of the semiconductor substrate 101 including silicon (Si), forexample. The multilayer wiring layer 102 forms the circuit of the pixel31 illustrated in FIG. 3.

The multilayer wiring layer 102 includes a plurality of the wiringlayers 103 including an uppermost wiring layer 103 a closest to thesemiconductor substrate 101, an intermediate wiring layer 103 b, alowermost wiring layer 103 c closest to the lower structural body 12,and the like, and an interlayer insulating film 104 formed between thewiring layers 103.

As a material to be used as the plurality of wiring layers 103 and theinterlayer insulating film 104, a material can be used of the same typeas the material of the wiring layer 83 and the interlayer insulatingfilm 84 described above. Furthermore, similarly to the wiring layer 83and the interlayer insulating film 84 described above, the plurality ofwiring layer 103 and the interlayer insulating film 104 may be formed byusing one material, or two or more materials.

Note that, in the example of FIG. 23, the multilayer wiring layer 102 ofthe upper structural body 11 includes five-layer wiring layer 103, andthe multilayer wiring layer 82 of the lower structural body 12 includesfour-layer wiring layer 83; however, the total number of wiring layersis not limited thereto, and the multilayer wiring layer can be formedwith an arbitrary number of layers.

In the semiconductor substrate 101, the photodiode 51 formed by a PNjunction is formed for each pixel 31.

Furthermore, although detailed illustration is omitted, the plurality ofpixel transistors such as the transfer transistor 52 and the amplifiertransistor 55, the FD 53, and the like are also formed in the multilayerwiring layer 102 and the semiconductor substrate 101.

At a predetermined position of the semiconductor substrate 101 on whichthe color filter 15 and the on-chip lens 16 are not formed, thethrough-silicon-electrode 109 connected to a predetermined wiring layer103 of the upper structural body 11, and the through-chip-electrode 105connected to the predetermined wiring layer 83 of the lower structuralbody 12 are formed.

The through-chip-electrode 105 and the through-silicon-electrode 109 areconnected together by the connection wiring line 106 formed on the uppersurface of the semiconductor substrate 101. Furthermore, an insulatingfilm 107 is formed between the semiconductor substrate 101 and each ofthe through-silicon-electrode 109 and the through-chip-electrode 105.

A flattening film 108 is formed between the photodiode 51 of thesemiconductor substrate 101 and the color filter 15, and a flatteningfilm 110 is also formed between the on-chip lens 16 and the glass sealresin 17.

As described above, the layered structural body 13 of the image pickupdevice 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a layered structure in which themultilayer wiring layer 82 side of the lower structural body 12 and themultilayer wiring layer 102 side of the upper structural body 11 arepasted together. In FIG. 23, a pasting surface between the multilayerwiring layer 82 of the lower structural body 12 and the multilayerwiring layer 102 of the upper structural body 11 is indicated by aone-dot chain line.

Furthermore, in the layered structural body 13 of the image pickupdevice 1, the wiring layer 103 of the upper structural body 11 and thewiring layer 83 of the lower structural body 12 are connected togetherby the two through-electrodes of the through-silicon-electrode 109 andthe through-chip-electrode 105, and the wiring layer 83 of the lowerstructural body 12 and the external terminal (back surface electrode) 14are connected together by the through-via 88 and the rewiring line 90.As a result, the pixel signal generated by the pixel 31 of the upperstructural body 11 is transmitted to the lower structural body 12,subjected to signal processing in the lower structural body 12, andoutput from the external terminal 14 to the outside of the device.

11. Manufacturing Method

<Manufacturing Method in Case of Twin Contact Structure>

Next, with reference to FIGS. 24 to 38, a method will be described ofmanufacturing the image pickup device 1 having a twin contact structure.

Initially, the lower structural body 12 and the upper structural body 11each in the wafer state are separately manufactured.

As the lower structural body 12, the input/output circuit unit 49, and amultilayer wiring layer 82 to be a part of the row drive unit 22 or thecolumn signal processing unit 25 are formed in a region to be each chipportion of the silicon substrate (silicon wafer) 81. The semiconductorsubstrate 81 at this point is in a state before being thinned, and has athickness of about 600 μm, for example.

On the other hand, as the upper structural body 11, the photodiode 51 ofeach pixel 31 and the source/drain region of the pixel transistor areformed in a region to be a chip portion of the silicon substrate(silicon wafer) 101. Furthermore, a multilayer wiring layer 102constituting the row drive signal line 32, the vertical signal line 33,and the like is formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate101. The semiconductor substrate 101 at this point is also in a statebefore being thinned, and has a thickness of about 600 μm, for example.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 24, after the multilayer wiring layer 82side of the lower structural body 12 and the multilayer wiring layer 102side of the upper structural body 11 each in the manufactured waferstate are pasted together to face each other, as illustrated in FIG. 25,the semiconductor substrate 101 of the upper structural body 11 isthinned.

For pasting, for example, there are plasma bonding and bonding with anadhesive, but in the present embodiment, the pasting is assumed to beperformed by the plasma bonding. In the case of the plasma bonding, afilm such as a plasma TEOS film, a plasma SiN film, a SiON film (blockfilm), or a SiC film is formed on each of the bonding surfaces of theupper structural body 11 and the lower structural body 12, and thebonding surfaces are subjected to plasma treatment and superposed oneach other, and then annealing treatment is performed to bond the bothstructural bodies together.

After the semiconductor substrate 101 of the upper structural body 11 isthinned, as illustrated in FIG. 26, the through-silicon-electrode 109and the through-chip-electrode 105, and the connection wiring line 106for connecting the electrodes are formed by using a damascene method orthe like, in a region to be the upper and lower wiring lines connectionregion 314.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 27, the color filter 15 and the on-chiplens 16 are formed above the photodiode 51 of each pixel 31 via theflattening film 108.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 28, on the entire surface on which theon-chip lens 16 includes the layered structural body 13 in which theupper structural body 11 and the lower structural body 12 are pastedtogether, the glass seal resin 17 is applied via the flattening film110, and as illustrated in FIG. 29, the glass protective substrate 18 isconnected thereto, with a cavity-less structure.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 30, after the entire layered structuralbody 13 is inverted, the semiconductor substrate 81 of the lowerstructural body 12 is thinned to have a thickness to the extent that itdoes not affect device characteristics, for example, about 30 μm to 100μm.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 31, after photoresist 221 is patterned toopen a position where the through-via 88 (not illustrated) is arrangedon the thinned semiconductor substrate 81, the semiconductor substrate81 and a part of the interlayer insulating film 84 under thesemiconductor substrate 81 are removed by dry etching, and an opening222 is formed.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 32, the insulating film (isolation film) 86is formed over the entire upper surface of the semiconductor substrate81 including the opening 222 by, for example, a plasma CVD method. Asdescribed above, the insulating film 86 can be, for example, SiO2 film,SiN film, or the like.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 33, the insulating film 86 on the bottomsurface of the opening 222 is removed by an etch-back method, and thewiring layer 83 c closest to the semiconductor substrate 81 is exposed.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 34, a barrier metal film (not illustrated)and a Cu seed layer 231 are formed by using a sputtering method. Thebarrier metal film is a film for preventing diffusion of the connectionconductor 87 (Cu) illustrated in FIG. 35, and the Cu seed layer 231serves as an electrode for embedding the connection conductor 87 by anelectrolytic plating method.

As a material of the barrier metal film, tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti),tungsten (W), zirconium (Zr), a nitride film thereof, a carbonized filmthereof, or the like can be used. In the present embodiment, titanium isused as the barrier metal film.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 35, after a resist pattern 241 is formed ona required region on the Cu seed layer 231, copper (Cu) as theconnection conductor 87 is plated by the electrolytic plating method. Asa result, the through-via 88 is formed, and the rewiring line 90 is alsoformed on the upper side of the semiconductor substrate 81.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 36, after the resist pattern 241 isremoved, the barrier metal film (not illustrated) and the Cu seed layer231 under the resist pattern 241 are removed by wet etching.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 37, after the solder mask 91 is formed andthe rewiring line 90 is protected, the solder mask 91 is removed only ina region where the external terminal 14 is to be mounted, whereby asolder mask opening 242 is formed.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 38, the external terminal 14 is formed inthe solder mask opening 242 by a solder ball mounting method or thelike.

As described above, according to the manufacturing method of the presentdisclosure, first, the upper structural body 11 (first semiconductorsubstrate) on which the photodiode 51 that performs photoelectricconversion, the pixel transistor circuit, and the like are formed, andthe lower structural body 12 (second semiconductor substrate) formedsuch that the input/output circuit unit 49 for outputting the pixelsignal output from the pixel 31 to the outside of the image pickupdevice 1 is below the pixel array unit 24, are pasted together so thatthe wiring layers face each other.

Then, the through-via 88 penetrating through the lower structural body12 is formed, and the external terminal 14 is formed that iselectrically connected to the outside of the image pickup device 1 viathe input/output circuit unit 49 and the through-via 88. As a result,the image pickup device 1 illustrated in FIG. 5 can be manufactured.

According to the manufacturing method of the present disclosure, sincethe through-via 88 is formed by using the glass protective substrate 18as a support substrate, the through-via 88 has a shape digging from theexternal terminal 14 side to the wiring layer 83 (circuit) side.

<Manufacturing Method in Case of Cu—Cu Direct Bonding Structure>

Next, with reference to FIGS. 39 to 43, a method will be described ofmanufacturing the image pickup device 1 in a case where the lowerstructural body 12 and the upper structural body 11 are connectedtogether by a Cu—Cu direct bonding structure.

Initially, the lower structural body 12 and the upper structural body 11each in the wafer state are separately manufactured, similarly to themanufacturing method in a case where the twin contact structure isadopted as the upper and lower wiring lines connection structure.

However, as a point different from the twin contact structure, asillustrated in FIG. 39, in the upper and lower wiring lines connectionregion 314 on the further outside of the pixel array unit 24, in theupper structural body 11, a wiring layer 103 x for directly connectingto a wiring layer 83 x of the lower structural body 12 is formed on thefurther lower structural body 12 side from the lowermost wiring layer103 c closest to the lower structural body 12.

Similarly, in the upper and lower wiring lines connection region 314,also in the lower structural body 12, the wiring layer 83 x for directlyconnecting to the wiring layer 103 x of the upper structural body 11 isformed on the further upper structural body 11 side from the uppermostwiring layer 83 a closest to the upper structural body 11.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 40, after the multilayer wiring layer 82side of the lower structural body 12 and the multilayer wiring layer 102side of the upper structural body 11 are pasted together to face eachother, the semiconductor substrate 101 of the upper structural body 11is thinned. By this pasting, the wiring layer 83 x of the lowerstructural body 12 and the wiring layer 103 x of the upper structuralbody 11 are connected together by metal bond (Cu—Cu bonding).

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 41, the color filter 15 and the on-chiplens 16 are formed above the photodiode 51 of each pixel 31 via theflattening film 108.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 42, the glass seal resin 17 is applied viathe flattening film 110 to the entire surface on which the on-chip lens16 includes the lower structural body 12 and the upper structural body11 pasted together, and the glass protective substrate 18 is connectedthereto, with a cavity-less structure.

Note that, in this example, in the lower structural body 12, separatelyfrom the wiring layers 83 a to 83 c to be a part of the input/outputcircuit unit 49, the row drive unit 22, or the column signal processingunit 25, the wiring layer 83 x is formed for directly connecting to thewiring layer 103 of the upper structural body 11, and in the upperstructural body 11, separately from the wiring layers 103 a to 103 c tobe a drive wiring line of the pixel transistor, and the like, the wiringlayer 103 x is formed for directly connecting to the wiring layer 83 ofthe lower structural body 12; however, of course, the uppermost wiringlayer 83 a of the lower structural body 12 and the lowermost wiringlayer 103 c of the upper structural body 11 may be connected together bymetal bond (Cu—Cu bonding).

Steps subsequent to the step illustrated in FIG. 42 are similar to thesteps given with reference to FIGS. 30 to 38 in the case where the twincontact structure is adopted as the upper and lower wiring linesconnection structure. As a final state, a state illustrated in FIG. 43is obtained.

12. Further Modification Further Modification 1

Next, a further modification of the image pickup device 1 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 44.

A of FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view near the outer periphery of theimage pickup device 1 according to Further Modification 1, and B of FIG.44 is a plan view of the external terminal 14 side of the image pickupdevice 1 according to Further Modification 1.

In Further Modification 1, as illustrated in A of FIG. 44, the externalterminal 14 is formed immediately above the through-via 88 to overlap aposition of the through-via 88 at a planar position. As a result, asillustrated in B of FIG. 44, since the area for forming the rewiringline 90 is unnecessary on the back surface side of the image pickupdevice 1, it is possible to eliminate a shortage of the area forming theinput/output unit 21.

Further Modification 2

Next, a further modification of the image pickup device 1 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 45.

FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of the image pickup device 1 accordingto Further Modification 2.

In Further Modification 2, the image pickup device 1 includes aconductive pad 411 for contact with a measurement probe, for the purposeof measuring operation of the image pickup device 1 in a state beforethe image pickup device 1 is divided into the solid pieces, in otherwords, in a state in which the plurality of image pickup devices 1 ismounted on the wafer, by using a general probe type semiconductor devicemeasuring machine, for example.

As illustrated in FIG. 45, the conductive pad 411 for probe measurementis formed in a region outside the pixel array unit 24, for example, onthe upper side of the pixel peripheral circuit region 313 where the rowdrive unit 22, the column signal processing unit 25, and the like areformed. The conductive pad 411 is connected to a predetermined wiringlayer 103 of the upper structural body 11 by a through-silicon-electrode412.

The conductive pad 411 for probe measurement is desirably formed beforethe protective substrate 18 is arranged on the surface of the imagepickup device 1. As a result, it is possible to measure the operation ofthe image pickup device 1 in a state in which the plurality of imagepickup devices 1 is formed on the wafer before the protective substrate18 is fixed.

The conductive pad 411 for probe measurement may be formed by a part ofthe multilayer wiring layer 102 included in the upper structural body11.

Furthermore, the conductive pad 411 for probe measurement may be formedon the upper side of a region for acquiring a reference level signal, inother words, a black level signal, which is included in the image pickupdevice 1, the region being generally referred to as an optical blackpixel region or simply an optical black region (not illustrated).

By forming the conductive pad 411 for probe measurement on the imagepickup device 1 before fixing the protective substrate 18 of the imagepickup device 1, it is possible to measure the operation of the imagepickup device 1 by using a probe type semiconductor device measuringapparatus, in a state in which the plurality of image pickup devices 1is formed on the wafer before the protective substrate 18 is fixed.

Further Modification 3

Next, a further modification of the image pickup device 1 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 46.

FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional view of the image pickup device 1 accordingto Further Modification 3.

The image pickup device 1 according to Further Modification 3 alsoincludes a conductive pad 421 for contact with a measurement probe, forthe purpose of measuring operation of the image pickup device 1 in astate before the image pickup device 1 is divided into the solid pieces,in other words, in a state in which the plurality of image pickupdevices 1 is mounted on the wafer, by using a general probe typesemiconductor device measuring machine, for example.

As illustrated in FIG. 46, the conductive pad 421 for probe measurementis formed on a scribe line (dicing line) between the image pickupdevices 1.

The conductive pad 421 for probe measurement is desirably formed beforethe protective substrate 18 is arranged on the surface of the imagepickup device 1. As a result, it is possible to measure the operation ofthe image pickup device 1 in a state in which the plurality of imagepickup devices 1 is formed on the wafer before the protective substrate18 is fixed.

The conductive pad 421 for probe measurement may be formed by a part ofthe multilayer wiring layer 102 included in the upper structural body11, may be formed by a part of the multilayer wiring layer 82 includedin the lower structural body 12, or may be formed by the same layer as apart of a conductive layer used in the upper and lower wiring linesconnection structure. Then, the conductive pad 421 for probe measurementmay be connected to the inside of the image pickup device 1 via a partof the multilayer wiring layer 102 included in the upper structural body11, or may be connected to the inside of the image pickup device 1 via apart of the multilayer wiring layer 82 included in the lower structuralbody 12.

By forming the conductive pad 421 for probe measurement on the imagepickup device 1 before fixing the protective substrate 18 of the imagepickup device 1, it is possible to measure the operation of the imagepickup device 1 by using a probe type semiconductor device measuringapparatus, in a state in which the plurality of image pickup devices 1is formed on the wafer before the protective substrate 18 is fixed.

Further Modification 4

Next, a further modification of the image pickup device 1 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 47.

FIG. 47 is a cross-sectional view of the image pickup device 1 accordingto Further Modification 4.

The image pickup device 1 according to Further Modification 4 alsoincludes a conductive pad 422 for contact with a measurement probe, forthe purpose of measuring operation of the image pickup device 1 in astate in which the plurality of image pickup devices 1 is mounted on thewafer.

As illustrated in FIG. 47, the conductive pad 422 for probe measurementis formed on the lower side of the lower structural body 12 in a statein which the plurality of image pickup devices 1 is formed on the wafer.The conductive pad 422 for probe measurement may be formed by therewiring line 90 included in the lower structural body 12, for example.

After the protective substrate 18 is arranged on the surface of theimage pickup device 1 in a state in which the plurality of image pickupdevices 1 is formed on the wafer, it is possible to measure theoperation of the image pickup device 1 by turning the wafer upside downto arrange the protective substrate 18 on the lower side and to arrangethe conductive pad 422 for probe measurement on the upper side. In thiscase, the operation of the image pickup device 1 may be measured byusing a device that causes light to enter from the lower side of theimage pickup device 1.

13. Example of Three-Layer Layered Structural Body

In each of the embodiments described above, the layered structural body13 of the image pickup device 1 includes two layers of the lowerstructural body 12 and the upper structural body 11, but the layeredstructural body 13 can include three or more layers.

With reference to FIGS. 48 and 49, an example will be described in whichthe layered structural body 13 includes three layers by providing athird structural body 511 between the lower structural body 12 and theupper structural body 11.

FIG. 48 illustrates a configuration in a case where the pixel array unit24 has a pixel sharing structure.

In the pixel sharing structure, the photodiode (PD) 51 and the transfertransistor 52 are included for each pixel 31, but the FD 53, theamplifier transistor 55, the reset transistor 54, and the selectiontransistor 56 are shared by a plurality of pixels.

FIG. 48 illustrates a structure in which, as a shared unit 520, fourpixels of two pixels in the row direction and two pixels in the columndirection (2×2) shares the FD 53, the amplifier transistor 55, the resettransistor 54, and the selection transistor 56.

A transfer transistor drive signal line 521 extending in the rowdirection is connected one by one to each of gate electrodes of the fourtransfer transistors 52. The four transfer transistor drive signal lines521 connected to the respective gate electrodes of the four transfertransistors 52 and extending in the row direction are arranged in thecolumn direction in parallel to each other.

The FD 53 is connected to the gate electrode of the amplifier transistor55 and the diffusion layer of the reset transistor 54 via wiring lines(not illustrated). One reset transistor drive signal line 522 extendingin the row direction is connected to the gate electrode of the resettransistor 54.

One select transistor drive signal line 523 extending in the rowdirection is connected to the gate electrode of the selection transistor56. The selection transistor 56 may be omitted.

In the example system configuration of the image pickup device 1illustrated in FIG. 2, the plurality of pixels 31 is connected to thevertical signal line 33 extending in the column direction for eachpixel. Then, each of a plurality of the vertical signal lines 33 isconnected to the column signal processing unit 25 arranged subsequentthereto, and noise processing and AD conversion processing are performedin the column signal processing unit 25.

On the other hand, the image pickup device 1 with the three-layerlayered structural body 13 illustrated in FIG. 48 includes an areasignal processing unit 531 in the third structural body 511 between thelower structural body 12 and the upper structural body 11.

The area signal processing unit 531 includes a reading signal processingunit 532 including a noise processing unit and the ADC, and a dataholding unit 533 that holds digital data after AD conversion.

For example, in a case where each of the pixels 31 of the shared unit520 outputs data expressed in 16 bits after the AD conversion, the dataholding unit 533 includes a data holding means, such as a latch for 64bits and a shift register, for holding these data.

The area signal processing unit 531 further includes an output signalwiring line 537 for outputting the data held in the data holding unit533 to the outside of the area signal processing unit 531. The outputsignal wiring line may be, for example, a 64-bit signal line foroutputting 64-bit data held in the data holding unit 533 in parallel, a16-bit signal line for outputting data of four pixels held in the dataholding unit 533 for one pixel at a time, or an 8-bit signal line thatis a half of the data for one pixel or 32-bit signal line that is thedata for two pixels. Alternatively, the output signal wiring line may bea 1-bit signal line that reads the data held in the data holding unit533 one bit at a time.

In the image pickup device 1 illustrated in FIG. 48, one shared unit 520of the upper structural body 11 is connected to one area signalprocessing unit 531 of the third structural body 511. In other words,the shared unit 520 and the area signal processing unit 531 correspondone to one. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 48, the third structuralbody 511 includes an area signal processing unit array 534 in which aplurality of the area signal processing units 531 is arrayed in the rowdirection and the column direction.

Furthermore, the third structural body 511 includes a row addresscontrol unit 535 that reads data of the data holding unit 533 includedin each of the plurality of area signal processing units 531respectively arrayed in the row direction and the column direction. Therow address control unit 535 determines a reading position in the rowdirection similarly to a general semiconductor memory device.

The area signal processing unit 531 arranged in the row direction of thearea signal processing unit array 534 is connected to a control signalline extending in the row direction from the row address control unit535, and operation of the area signal processing unit 531 is controlledby control of the row address control unit 535.

The area signal processing unit 531 arranged in the column direction ofthe area signal processing unit array 534 is connected to the columnreading signal line 537 extending in the column direction, and thecolumn reading signal line is connected to a column reading unit 536arranged subsequent to the area signal processing unit array 534.

For the data held in the data holding unit 533 of each area signalprocessing unit 531 of the area signal processing unit array 534, thedata of the data holding unit 533 of all the area signal processingunits 531 arranged in the row direction may be read at the same time tothe column reading unit 536, or only the data may be read of thespecific area signal processing unit 531 specified by the column readingunit 536.

To the column reading unit 536, a wiring line is connected foroutputting the data read from the area signal processing unit 531 to theoutside of the third structural body 511.

The lower structural body 12 is connected to a wiring line from thecolumn reading unit 536 of the third structural body 511, and includes areading unit 541 for receiving the data output from the column readingunit 536.

Furthermore, the lower structural body 12 includes the image signalprocessing unit 26 for image signal processing of the data received fromthe third structural body 511.

Moreover, the lower structural body 12 includes the input/output unit 21for outputting the data received from the third structural body 511 viathe image signal processing unit 26 or outputting the data withoutpassing therethrough. The input/output unit 21 may include not only theoutput circuit unit 47, but also the input circuit unit 42 forinputting, for example, a timing signal to be used in the pixel arrayunit 24 and characteristic data to be used in the image signalprocessing unit 26, from the outside of the image pickup device 1 intothe device.

As illustrated in B of FIG. 49, each shared unit 520 formed in the upperstructural body 11 is connected to the area signal processing unit 531of the third structural body 511 arranged immediately below the sharedunit 520. Wiring connection between the upper structural body 11 and thethird structural body 511 can be connected by, for example, the Cu—Cudirect bonding structure illustrated in FIG. 8.

Furthermore, as illustrated in B of FIG. 49, the column reading unit 536on the outside of the area signal processing unit array 534 formed inthe third structural body 511 is connected to the reading unit 541 ofthe lower structural body 12, the reading unit 541 being arrangedimmediately below the column reading unit 536. Wiring connection betweenthe third structural body 511 and the lower structural body 12 can beconnected by, for example, the Cu—Cu direct bonding structureillustrated in FIG. 8, or the twin contact structure illustrated in FIG.6.

Accordingly, as illustrated in A of FIG. 49, the pixel signal of eachshared unit 520 formed in the upper structural body 11 is output to thecorresponding area signal processing unit 531 of the third structuralbody 511. The data held in the data holding unit 533 of the area signalprocessing unit 531 is output from the column reading unit 536, andsupplied to the reading unit 541 of the lower structural body 12. Then,the data is subjected to various types of signal processing (forexample, tone curve correction processing) in the image signalprocessing unit 26, and output from the input/output unit 21 to theoutside of the device.

Note that, in the image pickup device 1 with the three-layer layeredstructural body 13, the input/output unit 21 formed in the lowerstructural body 12 may be arranged on the lower side of the row addresscontrol unit 535 of the third structural body 511.

Furthermore, in the image pickup device 1 with the three-layer layeredstructural body 13, the input/output unit 21 formed in the lowerstructural body 12 may be arranged on the lower side of the area signalprocessing unit 531 of the third structural body 511.

Moreover, in the image pickup device 1 with the three-layer layeredstructural body 13, the input/output unit 21 formed in the lowerstructural body 12 may be arranged on the lower side of the pixel arrayunit 24 of the upper structural body 11.

14. Configuration Including Lens Module

<First Structure>

A configuration will be described in a case where the above-describedimage pickup device 1 is combined with a lens module. FIG. 50illustrates an example configuration (a first structure of the imagepickup device 1 including the lens module) in the case where the imagepickup device 1 is combined with the lens module.

In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 50, a lens module 901 is placedon the protective substrate 18 of the image pickup device 1, and asubstrate 921 is connected under the layered structural body 13 of theimage pickup device 1.

The lens module 901 includes an actuator 902, a lens barrel 903, and alens 904. A lens 904-1, a lens 904-2, and a lens 904-3 are incorporatedinside the lens barrel 903, and the lens barrel 903 holds the lenses904-1 to 904-3. The lens barrel 903 is enclosed in the actuator 902.

For example, a screw (not illustrated) is included on the outer sidesurface of the lens barrel 903, and a screw (not illustrated) isincluded in a portion within the actuator 902 at a position to bescrewed with the screw of the lens barrel 903, and the screw of the lensbarrel 903 and the screw inside the actuator 902 are screwed together.The reason why the lens barrel 903 is screwed to the actuator 902 is toadjust the distance to the image pickup device 1 (to adjust the focus)during manufacturing. Note that, such a manner of mounting the lensbarrel 903 on the actuator 902 is merely an example, and the lens barrel903 may be mounted on the actuator 902 in another mechanism.

In a case where the lens barrel 903 is movable in the vertical directionin the figure, and enabled to perform auto-focus (AF), for example, acoil is provided on the side surface of the lens barrel 903 (lens carryto which the lens barrel 903 is mounted). Furthermore, a magnet isprovided at a position that faces the coil and is the inside of theactuator 902. The magnet is provided with a yoke, and the coil, themagnet, and the yoke constitute a voice coil motor.

When current flows through the coil, force is generated in the verticaldirection in the figure. With this generated force, the lens barrel 903moves upward or downward. As the lens barrel 903 moves, the distancechanges between the lenses 904-1 to 904-3 held by the lens barrel 903and the image pickup device 1. With such a mechanism, auto-focus can beimplemented.

Note that, the auto-focus can be implemented with another mechanism, anda configuration is set depending on the manner of implementation.

At the center of the lower part of the lens module 901, the image pickupdevice 1 is provided. The image pickup device 1 has a structure asillustrated in FIG. 1, for example. The image pickup device 1 includesthe external terminal 14 on the bottom. The external terminal 14 isconnected to the substrate 921 (a wiring line within the substrate 921)provided on the lower side of the image pickup device 1. The wiring lineis formed within the substrate 921.

A circuit board 931-1 and a circuit board 931-2 are connected to thesubstrate 921 by external terminals. Furthermore, a bonding wire 941 isconnected to the substrate 921. On the lower part of the substrate 921(the side opposite to the side connected to the image pickup device 1),a region to which the circuit board 931 is connected (circuit boardregion A), and a region to which the bonding wire 941 is connected bywire bonding, to be connected to an external circuit (not illustrated)(wire bonding region B) are provided.

Note that, the one to be connected to the substrate 921 is not limitedto the circuit board 931. A passive element may be connected, such as achip capacitor, a chip resistor, or a wireless antenna. Furthermore, anIC or an active element may be connected, such as a power supply IC, awireless transmission IC, or a semiconductor memory. Furthermore, anelectronic board may be connected on which these passive elements, ICs,or active elements are mounted. These aspects are collectively referredto as a circuit board 931 in the present specification. The circuitboard 931 described in the present specification may be any of theseaspects or may include all of them.

In the structure illustrated in FIG. 50, the lens module 901, the imagepickup device 1, and the circuit board 931 are layered in thelongitudinal direction. Here, FIG. 51 illustrates a conventionalstructure for comparison.

The structure illustrated in FIG. 51 is the same as the structureillustrated in FIG. 50 in that the image pickup device 1 is provided onthe lower side of the lens module 901 and is connected to the substrate921 via the external terminal 14, but different in that the circuitboard 931 and the bonding wire 941 are provided not on the lower side ofthe image pickup device 1 but on the same plane.

In the structure illustrated in FIG. 51, the circuit board 931-1, thecircuit board 931-2, and the bonding wire 941 are connected to the sidethat is on the substrate 921 extended to the right side of the imagepickup device 1 in the figure and on which the image pickup device 1 isloaded. In other words, the substrate 921 on which the image pickupdevice 1, the circuit board 931, and the bonding wire 941 are mountedincludes the circuit board region A, the wire bonding region B, and alens module region C. In the lens module region C, an image pickupdevice region D is included in which the image pickup device 1 ismounted.

In the structure illustrated in FIG. 51, the lens module region C, thecircuit board region A, and the wire bonding region B are provided on aplane of the substrate 921. In contrast, in the structure illustrated inFIG. 50, it is sufficient that only the lens module region C is providedon the plane of the substrate 921.

Referring again to FIG. 50, in the lens module region C, the imagepickup device region D is included. Furthermore, in the lens moduleregion D, the circuit board region A and the wire bonding region B arealso included. In other words, in the structure illustrated in FIG. 50,if there is a size equivalent to that of the lens module region C asviewed from the plane of the substrate 921, main components can bemounted, such as the lens module 901, the image pickup device 1, thecircuit board 931, and the bonding wire 941.

As described above, by adopting the structure illustrated in FIG. 50, inother words, the structure in which the lens module 901, the imagepickup device 1, and the circuit board 931 (the bonding wire 941) arelayered, it is possible to downsize the plane area. As described above,by forming the structure in which the plane area is downsized, forexample, it is possible to form a structure suitable for application todevices for which downsizing is desired, such as a capsule endoscope asdescribed later.

<Second Structure>

FIG. 52 illustrates a second structure of the image pickup device 1including the lens module. In the structure illustrated in FIG. 52, thelens module 901 is placed on the substrate 921. The structureillustrated in FIG. 50 is compared with the structure illustrated inFIG. 52. In the structure illustrated in FIG. 50, the lens module 901(frame constituting a part of the lens module 901) is placed on theprotective substrate 18 of the image pickup device 1, whereas in thestructure illustrated in FIG. 52, the lens module 901 (frameconstituting a part of the lens module 901) is placed on the substrate921.

Also in the structure illustrated in FIG. 52, the image pickup device 1is placed on the upper side of the substrate 921, and the circuit board931 and the bonding wire 941 are connected to the lower side. Asdescribed above, the lens module 901 may be placed on the substrate 921while surrounding the image pickup device 1.

Also in the structure illustrated in FIG. 52, it is sufficient that theplane area of the substrate 921 has a size substantially equivalent tothat of the lens module region C, and the plane area can be downsized ascompared with the structure illustrated in FIG. 51.

<Third Structure>

FIG. 53 illustrates a third structure of the image pickup device 1including the lens module. The structure illustrated in FIG. 53 has astructure in which the protective substrate 18 of the image pickupdevice 1 is not included. The structure illustrated in FIG. 52 iscompared with the structure illustrated in FIG. 53. The image pickupdevice 1 in the structure illustrated in FIG. 53 differs from the imagepickup device 1 illustrated in FIG. 52 in that the protective substrate18 is removed, and the other portions are the same as each other.

The protective substrate 18 is provided to protect the on-chip lens 16and the color filter 15. By adopting the structure in which the imagepickup device 1 is surrounded by the lens module 901 and the substrate921, the image pickup device 1 can be mounted in a space whereinfluences from the outside can be blocked, and the on-chip lens 16 andthe color filter 15 can be protected. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG.53, the image pickup device 1 may have a structure in which theprotective substrate 18 is not layered.

Also in the structure illustrated in FIG. 53, the image pickup device 1is placed on the upper side of the substrate 921, and the circuit board931 and the bonding wire 941 are connected to the lower side. Asdescribed above, the lens module 901 may be placed on the substrate 921while surrounding the image pickup device 1.

Also in the structure illustrated in FIG. 53, it is sufficient that theplane area of the substrate 921 has a size substantially equivalent tothat of the lens module region C, and the plane area can be downsized ascompared with the structure illustrated in FIG. 51.

<Fourth Structure>

FIG. 54 illustrates a fourth structure of the image pickup deviceincluding the lens module. Although the structures illustrated in FIGS.50 to 53 have been described by taking as an example a case where theimage pickup device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is used as the image pickupdevice 1, for example, regarding the structure in which the lens module901, the image pickup device 1, and the circuit board 931 are layeredand the plane area is downsized, its application is not limited to theimage pickup device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1.

For example, as a modification of the image pickup device 1, thestructure can be applied to the image pickup device 1 having thestructure described with reference to FIGS. 44 to 47.

Furthermore, the image pickup device 600, the image pickup device 700,or the image pickup device 800 illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 can be usedinstead of the image pickup device 1. FIG. 54 illustrates an examplestructure in which the lens module 901 and the substrate 921 are layeredon the image pickup device 700 illustrated in FIG. 10, for example.

As illustrated in FIG. 54, the image pickup device 700 is placed on aframe 961 and connected to the external terminal 727 provided on thebottom of the frame 961 via the bonding wire 725 by wire bonding.

A protective substrate 962 (for example, glass) is layered on the frame961. As in the structure illustrated in FIG. 53, the lens module 901 islayered on the substrate 921.

Also in the structure illustrated in FIG. 54, it is sufficient that theplane area of the substrate 921 has a size substantially equivalent tothat of the lens module region C, and the plane area can be downsized ascompared with the structure illustrated in FIG. 51.

<Fifth Structure>

FIG. 55 illustrates a fifth structure of the image pickup deviceincluding the lens module. As in the structure illustrated in FIG. 54,the structure illustrated in FIG. 55 has a structure in which the imagepickup device 700 is loaded on the substrate 921, and the lens module901 is layered on the protective substrate 962 provided on the frame961.

Also in the case of the structure illustrated in FIG. 55, as in the caseof the structure illustrated in FIG. 50, it is sufficient that the planearea of the substrate 921 has a size substantially equivalent to that ofthe lens module region C, and the plane area can be downsized ascompared with the structure illustrated in FIG. 51.

<Sixth Structure>

FIG. 56 illustrates a sixth structure of the image pickup deviceincluding the lens module. The structure illustrated in FIG. 56 isdifferent from the first to fifth structures in that the substrate 921has a T shape. A substrate 921-1 is arranged in the lateral direction,and a substrate 921-2 is arranged in the longitudinal direction. Inaddition, the substrate 921-1 and the substrate 921-2 are substratesthat are connected to intersect perpendicularly with each other.

To the substrate 921-2 arranged in the longitudinal direction, thecircuit boards 931-1 to 931-4 are connected. On the upper side of thesubstrate 921-1, the image pickup device 1 and the lens module 901 arelayered having the structure illustrated in FIG. 50. Note that, in FIG.56, the first structure illustrated in FIG. 50 is exemplified, but thestructure from the lens module 901 to the substrate 921-1 may be thesecond structure illustrated in FIG. 52, the third structure illustratedin FIG. 53, the fourth structure illustrated in FIG. 54, or the fifthstructure illustrated in FIG. 55.

Note that, in the example illustrated in FIG. 56, as an example, a casehas been described where the number of the substrates 921-2 arranged inthe longitudinal direction is one, but many substrates 921, such as two,three, can be connected to the substrate 921-1 arranged in the lateraldirection.

As illustrated in FIG. 56, by forming the substrate 921 into athree-dimensional configuration such as a T-shape, it is possible toconnect more circuit boards 931. Furthermore, also in the case of thestructure illustrated in FIG. 56, as in the structures of FIGS. 1 to 5,it is sufficient that the plane area of the substrate 921 has a sizesubstantially equivalent to that of the lens module region C, and theplane area can be downsized as compared with the structure illustratedin FIG. 51.

15. Configuration of Capsule Endoscope

Here, an example will be described of a device suitable for applying theimage pickup device with the lens module whose plane area is downsizedas described with reference to FIGS. 50 to 56.

The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied tovarious products. For example, the technology according to the presentdisclosure may be applied to a patient's in-vivo information acquiringsystem using a capsule endoscope.

FIG. 57 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematicconfiguration of an in-vivo information acquiring system 1000 to whichthe technology according to the present disclosure can be applied.Referring to FIG. 57, the in-vivo information acquiring system 1000includes a capsule endoscope 1100, and an external control device 1200that comprehensively controls operation of the in-vivo informationacquiring system 1000. At the time of examination, the capsule endoscope1100 is swallowed by the patient.

The capsule endoscope 1100 has an image pickup function and a wirelesscommunication function, and moves until being naturally discharged fromthe patient while moving inside the internal organs such as the stomachand the intestines by peristaltic movement or the like, sequentiallycaptures images inside the internal organs (hereinafter, also referredto as in-vivo images) at predetermined intervals, and sequentiallytransmits information on the in-vivo image wirelessly to the externalcontrol device 1200 outside the body. The external control device 1200generates image data for displaying the in-vivo image on a displaydevice (not illustrated) on the basis of the received information on thein-vivo image.

In the in-vivo information acquiring system 1000, in this way, it ispossible to obtain the captured image of the inside of the patient'sbody at any time from the time when the capsule endoscope 1100 isswallowed until it is discharged.

Configurations and functions of the capsule endoscope 1100 and theexternal control device 1200 will be described in more detail. Asillustrated, the capsule endoscope 1100 includes, in a capsule typehousing 1101, functions of a light source unit 1103, an image pickupunit 1105, an image processing unit 1107, a wireless communication unit1109, a power feeding unit 1113, a power supply unit 1115, a statedetection unit 1117, and a control unit 1119.

The light source unit 1103 includes a light source, for example, a lightemitting diode (LED) or the like, and emits light to an image pickupfield of the image pickup unit 1105.

The image pickup unit 1105 includes an image pickup element and anoptical system including a plurality of lenses provided in front of theimage pickup element. Reflected light (hereinafter referred to asobservation light) of the light emitted to body tissue as an observationtarget is collected by the optical system and is incident on the imagepickup element. The image pickup element receives the observation lightand performs photoelectric conversion, thereby generating an electricsignal corresponding to the observation light, that is, an image signalcorresponding to the observation image. The image signal generated bythe image pickup unit 1105 is provided to the image processing unit1107.

Note that, as the image pickup element of the image pickup unit 1105,various known image pickup elements may be used, such as a complementarymetal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, or a charge coupleddevice (CCD) image sensor.

The image processing unit 1107 includes a processor such as a centralprocessing unit (CPU), or a graphics processing unit (GPU), and performsvarious types of signal processing on the image signal generated by theimage pickup unit 1105. The signal processing may be minimum processingfor transmitting the image signal to the external control device 1200(for example, image data compression, frame rate conversion, data rateconversion and/or format conversion, and the like). The image processingunit 1107 is configured to perform only the minimum processing required,whereby the image processing unit 1107 can be implemented to be smallerand have lower power consumption, which is suitable for the capsuleendoscope 1100.

Furthermore, by forming the image pickup unit 1105 and the imageprocessing unit 1107 to have structures as illustrated in FIGS. 50 to 56(except for FIG. 51), the plane area can be downsized, which is suitablefor the capsule endoscope 1100.

In other words, for example, the image pickup device 1 and the lensmodule 901 illustrated in FIG. 50 can be applied as the image pickupunit 1105, and the circuit board 931 can be applied as the imageprocessing unit 1107.

In FIG. 57, in a case where the left-right direction is a direction inwhich the capsule endoscope 1100 moves, it is obvious that the smallerthe size (width) in the vertical direction, the more the burden on thepatient is reduced. In a case where the image pickup device 1illustrated in FIG. 50 is mounted on such a capsule endoscope 1100, anopening of the lens module 901 is provided in the left-right direction,and for example, in FIG. 57, in the left side in the figure.

Therefore, the size in the vertical direction of the capsule endoscope1100 decreases accordingly as the plane area decreases of the substrate921 on which the image pickup device 1 is placed. As described above,for example, in the image pickup device 1 illustrated in FIG. 50, sincethe plane area of the substrate 921 can be downsized, the image pickupdevice 1 can be obtained suitable for application to the capsuleendoscope 1100 or the like.

Note that, if there is a margin in the space in the housing 1101 andpower consumption, further signal processing (for example, noise removalprocessing, another image quality improvement processing, and the like)may be performed in the image processing unit 1107. The image processingunit 1107 provides the image signal subjected to the signal processingto the wireless communication unit 1109 as RAW data. Note that, in acase where the information on a state (movement, orientation, and thelike) of the capsule endoscope 1100 is acquired by the state detectionunit 1117, the wireless communication unit 1109 may provide the imagesignal to the wireless communication unit 1109 in association with theinformation. As a result, a position in the body in which the image iscaptured, an image pickup direction of the image, and the like can beassociated with the captured image.

The wireless communication unit 1109 includes a communication devicecapable of transmitting/receiving various types of information to/fromthe external control device 1200. The communication device includes anantenna 1111, a processing circuit that performs modulation processingand the like for transmitting/receiving signals, and the like. Thewireless communication unit 1109 performs predetermined processing suchas modulation processing on the image signal subjected to signalprocessing by the image processing unit 1107, and transmits the imagesignal to the external control device 1200 via the antenna 1111.Furthermore, the wireless communication unit 1109 receives a controlsignal related to drive control of the capsule endoscope 1100 from theexternal control device 1200 via the antenna 1111. The wirelesscommunication unit 1109 provides the received control signal to thecontrol unit 1119.

The power feeding unit 1113 includes an antenna coil for powerreception, a power regeneration circuit for regenerating power from acurrent generated in the antenna coil, a booster circuit, and the like.In the power feeding unit 1113, the power is generated using theprinciple of so-called non-contact charging. Specifically, a magneticfield (electromagnetic wave) of a predetermined frequency is given tothe antenna coil of the power feeding unit 1113 from the outside,whereby induced electromotive force is generated in the antenna coil.

The electromagnetic wave may be a carrier wave transmitted from theexternal control device 1200 via an antenna 1201, for example. The poweris regenerated from the induced electromotive force by the powerregeneration circuit, and its potential is appropriately adjusted in thebooster circuit, whereby power for storage is generated. The powergenerated by the power feeding unit 1113 is stored in the power supplyunit 1115.

The power supply unit 1115 includes a secondary battery, and stores thepower generated by the power feeding unit 1113. In FIG. 57, for avoidingcomplication of the drawing, illustration of an arrow or the likeindicating a supply destination of the power from the power supply unit1115 is omitted; however, the power stored in the power supply unit 1115is supplied to the light source unit 1103, the image pickup unit 1105,the image processing unit 1107, the wireless communication unit 1109,the state detection unit 1117, and the control unit 1119, and can beused for driving these units.

The state detection unit 1117 includes a sensor for detecting a state ofthe capsule endoscope 1100, such as an acceleration sensor and/or a gyrosensor. The state detection unit 1117 can acquire information on thestate of the capsule endoscope 1100 from a detection result by thesensor. The state detection unit 1117 provides the acquired informationon the state of the capsule endoscope 1100 to the image processing unit1107. In the image processing unit 1107, as described above, theinformation on the state of the capsule endoscope 1100 can be associatedwith the image signal.

The control unit 1119 includes a processor such as a CPU, andcomprehensively controls operation of the capsule endoscope 1100 byoperating in accordance with a predetermined program. The control unit1119 appropriately controls drive of the light source unit 1103, theimage pickup unit 1105, the image processing unit 1107, the wirelesscommunication unit 1109, the power feeding unit 1113, the power supplyunit 1115, and the state detection unit 1117 in accordance with thecontrol signal transmitted from the external control device 1200,thereby implementing the functions in the units as described above.

The external control device 1200 can be a processor such as a CPU, or aGPU, or a microprocessor, a control board, or the like on which theprocessor and a memory element such as a memory are mixedly mounted. Theexternal control device 1200 includes the antenna 1201, and is enabledto transmit/receive various types of information to/from the capsuleendoscope 1100 via the antenna 1201.

Specifically, the external control device 1200 transmits the controlsignal to the control unit 1119 of the capsule endoscope 1100, therebycontrolling the operation of the capsule endoscope 1100. For example, bythe control signal from the external control device 1200, a lightemission condition can be changed with respect to the observationtarget, in the light source unit 1103. Furthermore, by the controlsignal from the external control device 1200, an image pickup condition(for example, a frame rate, an exposure value, and the like in the imagepickup unit 1105) can be changed. Furthermore, by the control signalfrom the external control device 1200, details of processing in theimage processing unit 1107, and conditions under which the wirelesscommunication unit 1109 transmits the image signal (for example, atransmission interval, the number of transmitted images, and the like)may be changed.

Furthermore, the external control device 1200 performs various types ofimage processing to the image signal transmitted from the capsuleendoscope 1100, and generates image data for displaying the capturedin-vivo image on the display device. As the image processing, varioustypes of known signal processing may be performed, for example,development processing (demosaic processing), image quality improvementprocessing (band enhancement processing, super resolution processing,noise reduction (NR) processing and/or camera shake correctionprocessing, and the like) and/or enlargement processing (electronic zoomprocessing), and the like.

The external control device 1200 controls drive of the display device(not illustrated) to display the captured in-vivo image on the basis ofthe generated image data. Alternatively, the external control device1200 may cause a recording device (not illustrated) to record thegenerated image data, or cause a printing device (not illustrated) toprint out the generated image data.

In the above, an example has been described of the in-vivo informationacquiring system 1000 to which the technology according to the presentdisclosure can be applied. By forming the image pickup unit 1105 and theimage processing unit 1107 to have structures as illustrated in FIGS. 50to 56 (excluding FIG. 51), the plane area can be downsized, and thecapsule endoscope 1100 itself can be downsized. Furthermore, by applyingthe image pickup device 1, the package size itself can be downsized, andthe capsule endoscope 1100 itself can be downsized. Downsizing becomespossible in this way, so that the burden on the patient can be furtherreduced.

16. Method of Manufacturing Image Pickup Device with Lens Module

A method will be described of manufacturing the image pickup device withthe lens module 901 illustrated in FIGS. 50 to 56 (excluding FIG. 51),with reference to FIGS. 58 and 59.

In step S101, as described above (with reference to FIGS. 24 to 43), theimage pickup device 1 is manufactured in a wafer state. In step S102,the lens module 901 is loaded on the image pickup device 1. The lensmodule 901 is also manufactured in a wafer state.

In step S103, individualization is performed. By the individualization,the image pickup device 1 is manufactured on which the lens module 901is layered. Moreover, in step S104 (FIG. 59), the substrate 921 isconnected to the image pickup device 1.

Here, an example has been described in which the individualization isperformed in step S103, and then the substrate 921 is layered in stepS104, but this flow can be interchanged. The substrate 921 may belayered on the image pickup device 1 in a wafer state in step S103, andthen the individualization may be performed in step S104.

In step S105, the circuit board 931 is further connected to thesubstrate 921 of the image pickup device 1 individualized.

Here, an example has been described in which the circuit board 931 islayered in step S105 after the individualization, but this flow can beinterchanged. The substrate 921 may layered on the image pickup device 1in a wafer state in step S103, the circuit board 931 may be furtherlayered in step S104, and the individualization may be performed in stepS105.

In this way, the image pickup device 1 is manufactured including thelens module 901 as illustrated in FIG. 50. Thereafter, if necessary, thebonding wire 941 is connected to the image pickup device 1, andconnected to an external circuit.

17. About Compound Eye Form

Next, a compound eye form using the image pickup device 1 will bedescribed. FIG. 60 is a diagram illustrating a form of a camera moduleusing a layered lens structural body.

A camera module 2000 illustrated in FIG. 60 includes a layered lensstructural body 2011 in which a plurality of lens-attached substrates2021 a to 2021 e is layered, and a layered structural body 13. Thelayered lens structural body 2011 includes a plurality of optical units.A one-dot chain line 2054 represents an optical axis of each opticalunit. The layered structural body 13 is arranged on the lower side ofthe layered lens structural body 2011. In the camera module 2000, lightentering the camera module 2000 from above is transmitted through thelayered lens structural body 2011, and received by the layeredstructural body 13 arranged on the lower side of the layered lensstructural body 2011.

The layered lens structural body 2011 includes five lens-attachedsubstrates 2021 a to 2021 e layered. In a case where the fivelens-attached substrates 2021 a to 2021 e are not particularlydistinguished, they are simply described as a lens-attached substrate2021.

A cross-sectional shape of a through hole 2053 of each lens-attachedsubstrate 2021 constituting the layered lens structural body 2011 has aso-called downwardly narrowing shape in which the opening widthdecreases toward the lower side (side where the layered structural body13 is arranged).

A diaphragm plate 2031 is arranged on the layered lens structural body2011. The diaphragm plate 2031 includes a layer including a materialhaving light absorption property or light shielding property, forexample. The diaphragm plate 2031 is provided with an opening 2032.

The layered structural body 13 includes, for example, a surfaceilluminated or backside illuminated complementary metal oxidesemiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The on-chip lens 16 is formed on theupper surface of the layered structural body 13 on the layered lensstructural body 2011 side, and the external terminal 14 thatinputs/outputs a signal is formed on the lower surface of the layeredstructural body 13.

The layered lens structural body 2011, the layered structural body 13,the diaphragm plate 2031, and the like are housed in a lens barrel 2043.

In the present embodiment, the layered lens structural body 2011includes five lens-attached substrates 2021 a to 2021 e layered, butthere is no particular limitation as long as the number of layeredlens-attached substrates 2021 is two or more.

Each of the lens-attached substrates 2021 constituting the layered lensstructural body 2011 includes a carrier substrate 2051 to which a lensresin portion 2052 is added. The carrier substrate 2051 includes thethrough hole 2053, and the lens resin portion 2052 is formed inside thethrough hole 2053.

Note that, in a case where the carrier substrate 2051, the lens resinportion 2052, the through hole 2053, and the carrier substrate 2051 ofeach of the lens-attached substrates 2021 a to 2021 e are distinguished,as illustrated in FIG. 13, in correspondence with the lens-attachedsubstrates 2021 a to 2021 e, they are denoted as the carrier substrates2051 a to 2051 e, the lens resin portions 2052 a to 2052 e, the throughholes 2053 a to 2053 e and will be described.

On the upper side of the layered structural body 13, the glass sealresin 17 having optical transparency is arranged. The layered structuralbody 13 and the protective substrate 18 are fixed via the glass sealresin 17.

On the upper side of the protective substrate 18, a structural material2061 is arranged. The protective substrate 18 and the layered lensstructural body 2011 are fixed via the structural material 2061. Thestructural material 2061 is, for example, an epoxy resin.

The glass seal resin 17 is arranged on the entire upper surface of thelayered structural body 13. The layered structural body 13 and theprotective substrate 18 are fixed via the glass seal resin 17. In a casewhere stress is applied to the protective substrate 18 from above theprotective substrate 18, the glass seal resin 17 arranged on the entireupper surface of the layered structural body 13 provides a function oran effect to prevent the stress from being concentratedly applied to apartial region of the layered structural body 13 and to disperse andreceive the stress on the entire surface of the layered structural body13.

On the upper side of the protective substrate 18, the structuralmaterial 2061 is arranged. The protective substrate 18 and the layeredlens structural body 2011 are fixed via the structural material 2061.

In the description in FIG. 60 and the following figures, in the figure,a portion including the layered structural body 13 and the likepositioned on the left side is referred to as an image pickup device1-1, and a portion including the layered structural body 13 and the likepositioned on the right side is referred to as an image pickup device1-2.

The camera module 2000 having a configuration as illustrated in FIG. 60can include a total of four optical units (image pickup devices 1), twoin each of the longitudinal and lateral directions, on an incidentsurface of light as illustrated in A of FIG. 61. In the four opticalunits, the shapes of the lenses are the same as each other and the sizesof the openings 2032 of the diaphragm plates 2031 are the same as eachother.

In the camera module 2000, optical axes included in respective twooptical units extend in the same direction, the two optical units beingarranged for each of the longitudinal direction and the lateraldirection of the incident surface of the light. The camera module 2000having such a structure is suitable for photographing an image having ahigher resolution as compared to photographing with one optical unit byusing a super resolution technology.

In the camera module 2000, for each of the longitudinal direction andthe lateral direction, images are photographed by (a light receivingelement included in) a plurality of the layered structural bodies 13respectively arranged at different positions while their optical axesare oriented in the same direction, or images are photographed by lightreceiving pixels in respective different regions of one light receivingelement, whereby it is possible to obtain a plurality of images that arenot always the same while the optical axes are oriented in the samedirection. An image with high resolution can be obtained by combiningthe image data for each location included in the plurality of imagesthat are not identical to each other.

The camera module 2000 can also be configured as illustrated in B ofFIG. 61. The configuration illustrated in B of FIG. 61 includes a totalof four optical units (image pickup devices 1), two in each of thelongitudinal and lateral directions, on the incident surface of thelight. In the four optical units, the shapes of the lenses are the sameas each other.

The four optical units each include the diaphragm plate 2031 on theuppermost layer of the layered lens structural body 2011, but the sizeof the opening 2032 of the diaphragm plate 2031 differs among the fouroptical units. As a result, the camera module 2000 can implement thefollowing camera module 2000, for example.

In other words, for example, in a monitoring camera for crimeprevention, in the camera module 2000 using the layered structural body13 including light receiving pixels respectively provided with threetypes of color filters of R, G, and B and receiving three types of lightof R, G, and B for monitoring a color image in the daytime, and a lightreceiving pixel not provided with color filters for R, G, and B formonitoring a black and white image in the nighttime, it is possible toincrease the size of the aperture of the diaphragm for only the pixelfor photographing the nighttime black and white image with lowilluminance.

18. Camera Module Including Transmittance Attenuation Layer

Furthermore, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which thecamera module 2000 includes a pixel for high illuminance and a pixel forlow illuminance, and performs image pickup of enlarged dynamic range byusing a signal obtained by the pixel for high illuminance and a signalobtained by the pixel for low illuminance.

For example, a pixel A (pixel for low illuminance) and a pixel B (pixelfor high illuminance) are included, in which a proper operation limit ofa signal generation means (for example, photodiode) included in thepixel is higher (for example, saturation charge amount is greater) inthe pixel B than in the pixel A, and the size of a generated signalconversion means (for example, charge-voltage conversion capacity)included in the pixel is greater in the pixel B than in the pixel A.

With these configurations, in the pixel B, since the output signal in acase where a certain amount of signal (for example, charge) is generatedper unit time is suppressed to be smaller than in the pixel A, and thesaturation charge amount is greater, for example, there is an effectthat the pixel does not reach the operation limit even in a case wherethe illuminance of the subject is high, whereby an image having highgradation can be obtained.

On the other hand, in the pixel A, in a case where a certain amount ofsignal (for example, charge) is generated per unit time, the outputsignal greater than that of the pixel B can be obtained, so that, forexample, there is an effect that an image having high gradation can beobtained even in a case where the illuminance of the subject is low.

Since the pixel A and the pixel B are included as described above, thereis an effect that an image having high gradation can be obtained over awide illuminance range, that is, an image having a so-called widedynamic range can be obtained.

As described above, in a case where the pixel for high illuminance andthe pixel for low illuminance are included, although the pixel for highilluminance and the pixel for low illuminance can be implemented bymaking the sizes of the apertures of the diaphragm different from eachother as illustrated in B of FIG. 61, the pixels can also be implementedby providing a layer that attenuates transmittance of incident light asillustrated in FIG. 62.

Since the camera module 2000 illustrated in FIG. 62 basically has aconfiguration similar to that of the camera module 2000 illustrated inFIG. 60, similar portions are denoted by similar reference numerals anddescription thereof will be omitted. Difference form the camera module2000 illustrated in FIG. 60 is that a transmittance attenuation layer2100 is formed on the protective substrate 18 of the image pickup device1-2 of the camera module 2000 illustrated in FIG. 62, and other portionsare the same as each other.

Note that, here, as illustrated in FIG. 62, an example configurationwill be described in which in a device (camera module 2000) includingtwo image pickup devices 1, one of the image pickup devices 1 includesthe transmittance attenuation layer 2000 and the other does not includethe transmittance attenuation layer 2000; however, the presenttechnology is not limited only to such a configuration.

For example, the present technology may be applied to a device includingone image pickup device 1 to include a transmittance attenuation layer2000. Furthermore, it may also be applied to a device including theplurality of image pickup devices 1 to include the transmittanceattenuation layer 2000 for a predetermined number of the image pickupdevices 1.

The transmittance attenuation layer 2100 is a layer that attenuates thetransmittance of light incident thereon. The transmittance will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 63. Out of the light incident on thetransmittance attenuation layer 2100, A % of the light is reflected bythe transmittance attenuation layer 2100, and B % of the light istransmitted through the transmittance attenuation layer 2100.Furthermore, out of the light incident on the transmittance attenuationlayer 2100, C % of the light is absorbed by the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100.

In other words, out of the light incident on the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100, A % of the light is reflected light, B % istransmitted light, and C′ is absorbed light. Note that, A+B+C=100%. Thetransmittance attenuation layer 2100 attenuates the ratio(transmittance) of transmitted light. In order to attenuate thetransmittance, the ratio of reflected light may be increased, or theratio of absorbed light may be increased.

In other words, the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 is formed onthe image pickup device 1-2 to make the reflectance of greater than orequal to 0% and/or the absorptance of greater than or equal to 01. Thetransmittance attenuation layer 2100 is a layer including a material forincreasing the ratio of reflected light and a material for increasingthe ratio of absorbed light.

In order to increase the ratio of reflected light, as illustrated inFIG. 64, a scattering surface may be formed on the surface of theprotective substrate 18. The protective substrate 18 includes, forexample, a glass substrate, but a scattering surface may be formed on aglass surface of the glass substrate to form the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100. Since the incident light is scattered by thescattering surface, the ratio of reflected light increases and thetransmittance attenuates.

As described above, the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 is a layerin which at least one of the reflectance, the absorptance, and thescattering coefficient has a value other than 0.

As described above, the configuration is adopted in which thetransmittance attenuation layer 2100 is formed in some of the imagepickup devices 1 of the plurality of image pickup devices 1 included inthe camera module 2000, and signals are obtained from the image pickupdevices 1 respectively having different transmitted light ratios.

In the above-described embodiment, the image pickup device 1 (the imagepickup device 1-2 in FIG. 62) provided with the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100 corresponds to the pixel B, and since the outputsignal in a case where a certain amount of signal (for example, charge)is generated per unit time is suppressed to be smaller than in the pixelA, and the saturation charge amount is greater, for example, the pixeldoes not reach the operation limit even in a case where the illuminanceof the subject is high, whereby the image pickup device 1 can be used asa pixel from which an image having high gradation can be obtained.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the image pickup device1 (the image pickup device 1-1 in FIG. 62) not provided with thetransmittance attenuation layer 2100 corresponds to the pixel A, and ina case where a certain amount of signal (for example, charge) isgenerated per unit time, the output signal greater than that of thepixel B can be obtained, so that, for example, the image pickup device 1can be used as a pixel from which an image having high gradation can beobtained even in a case where the illuminance of the subject is low.

Therefore, since the camera module 2000 illustrated in FIG. 62 includesthe image pickup device 1-1 and the image pickup device 1-2 respectivelycorresponding to the pixel A and the pixel B, the camera module 2000 canbe a device from which an image having high gradation can be obtainedover a wide illuminance range, that is, an image having a so-called widedynamic range can be obtained.

As illustrated in FIG. 62, the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 maybe formed on the protective substrate 18 of the image pickup device 1;however, the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 may also be formed ata position illustrated in each of FIGS. 65 and 66. Referring to FIG. 65,the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 is formed between theprotective substrate 18 of the image pickup device 1 and the glass sealresin 17. Furthermore, referring to FIG. 66, the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100 is formed within the protective substrate 18 ofthe image pickup device 1.

As described above, the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 can beformed on the protective substrate 18, within the protective substrate18, or under the protective substrate 18.

Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 62, the transmittance attenuationlayer 2100 may include a uniform material, with substantially the samethickness, on the protective substrate 18 of the image pickup device 1;however, as illustrated in FIG. 67, the transmittance attenuation layer2100 may include a plurality of materials (a plurality of layers).

The transmittance attenuation layer 2100 illustrated in FIG. 67 includesthree layers of a transmittance attenuation layer 2100-1, atransmittance attenuation layer 2100-2, and a transmittance attenuationlayer 2100-3. The three layers of transmittance attenuation layers 2100includes different materials, respectively. By including differentmaterials, the layers are obtained with respective desiredtransmittances.

Note that, the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 may include aplurality of layers other than three layers.

Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 68, the transmittance attenuationlayer 2100 may be formed not in the entire surface of the image pickupdevice 1 but in a part thereof. In the example illustrated in FIG. 68,an example is illustrated in which the transmittance attenuation layer2100 is formed in a half region (a half region of an effective pixelregion) of the plane of the protective substrate 18 of the image pickupdevice 1.

Note that, FIG. 68 illustrates an example in which the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100 is formed on the right half of the effectivepixel region, but the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 may be formedin the left half, or in a strip shape. Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 69, the thickness of the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 maybe set to different thicknesses on the left and right sides. In theexample illustrated in FIG. 69, the thickness of the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100 provided in the left half of the effective pixelregion is formed to be thinner than the thickness of the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100 provided in the right half.

As illustrated in FIGS. 68 and 69, by making the thickness of thetransmittance attenuation layer 2100 different within the effectivepixel region, it is possible to add a functional difference.

Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 70, the transmittance attenuationlayer 2100 may be formed at both ends of the image pickup device 1. Forexample, in a case where the optical black region (OPB region) isprovided at both ends of the image pickup device 1, the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100 may be formed on the optical black region. Inthis case, it is possible to obtain an effect that a flare can besuppressed.

For the transmittance attenuation layers 2100 described with referenceto FIGS. 67 to 70, as described with reference to FIGS. 65 and 66, asfor the positions where the transmittance attenuation layers 2100 areformed, the transmittance attenuation layers 2100 can be formed on theprotective substrate 18, within the protective substrate 18, or underthe protective substrate 18.

The transmittance attenuation layer 2100 can include a metal such asaluminum (Al), gold (Au), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu),tungsten (W), or titanium (Ti), or an inorganic material such as siliconmonoxide (SiO), silicon nitride (SiN), or silicon oxynitride (SiON)film. Furthermore, an organic material may also be used. Furthermore, apolarizer such as crystal or liquid crystal may be used.

In a case where the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 includes anorganic material, the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 may beconfigured to function also as a color filter. For example, thetransmittance attenuation layer 2100 illustrated in FIG. 62 can be a red(R) color filter, a green (G) color filter, or a blue (B) color filter.

The transmittance attenuation layer 2100 includes any or combination ofsuch a metal, an inorganic material, an organic material, and apolarizer.

Furthermore, as illustrated in A of FIG. 61, in the case of the cameramodule 2000 including four image pickup devices 1, each of the imagepickup devices 1 may be used as the image pickup device 1 in which thered color filter is formed as the transmittance attenuation layer 2100,the image pickup device 1 in which the green color filter is formed asthe transmittance attenuation layer 2100, or the image pickup device 1in which the blue color filter is formed as the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100. In this case, in a case where the RGB Bayerarrangement is applied, it is possible to configure such that the cameramodule 2000 includes two image pickup devices 1 in which the green colorfilter is formed as the transmittance attenuation layer 2100.

Furthermore, in the case of an arrangement of RGBC, it is configuredsuch that, in one image pickup device 1 among the four image pickupdevices 1, a transparent (C) color filter is formed as the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100, or the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 isnot formed.

As an arrangement of color filters of the camera module 2000 includingfour image pickup devices 1 as illustrated in A of FIG. 61, in additionto the RGB and RGBC described above, it is possible to apply the presenttechnology to arrangements, for example, RCCC (among the four imagepickup devices 1, one is the red color filter, and the rest of three aretransparent color filters), RCCB (among the four image pickup devices 1,one is the red color filter, two are transparent color filters, and therest of one is the blue color filter), and RGBIR (among the four imagepickup devices 1, one is the red color filter, one is the green colorfilter, one is the blue color filter, and one is a color filter thattransmits infrared rays), and the like.

19. Formation of Transmittance Attenuation Layer

The transmittance attenuation layer 2100 can be formed as illustrated inFIG. 71. In other words, a substrate on which the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100 is formed on the protective substrate 18 and asubstrate layered up to the glass seal resin 17 are pasted to eachother, whereby the image pickup device 1 can be manufactured on whichthe transmittance attenuation layer 2100 is formed.

In FIG. 71, a case is illustrated where the transmittance attenuationlayer 2100 is formed on the protective substrate 18; however, from thestate illustrated in FIG. 71, the substrate on which the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100 is formed is inverted, and after the inversion,the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 and the glass seal resin 17 arebonded to each other, whereby the image pickup device 1 can bemanufactured in which the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 is formedbetween the glass seal resin 17 and the protective substrate 18.

Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 72, the transmittance attenuationlayer 2100 is formed on the image pickup device 1 formed up to theprotective substrate 18, whereby the image pickup device 1 can bemanufactured in which the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 isformed.

Formation of the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 illustrated inFIGS. 71 and 72 may be performed in a wafer state, or may be performedafter individualization.

In a case where the transmittance attenuation layer 2100 is formed afterthe individualization, as illustrated in FIG. 73, the transmittanceattenuation layer 2100 can also be formed on the side surface of theimage pickup device 1. After the individualization, each chip (imagepickup device 1) is handled in a state of adhering to a sheet, and whenthe transmittance attenuation layer 2100 is formed on the protectivesubstrate 18 after the sheet is expanded, the transmittance attenuationlayer 2100 is formed also on the side surface.

For example, in a case where the transmittance attenuation layer 2100includes a material having a moisture-proof effect, the image pickupdevice 1 can be surrounded by the material having the moisture-proofeffect, and moisture can be prevented from entering the image pickupdevice 1.

In the above-described embodiment, the transmittance attenuation layer2100 is described as the layer that attenuates the transmittance of thelight incident thereon, but the layer may be formed as a layer thatimproves the transmittance. For example, the surface of the protectivesubstrate 18 including a glass substrate is subjected to moth-eyeprocessing, whereby the reflectance of the glass interface can besuppressed, and the transmittance can be improved.

20. Application Example to Electronic Apparatus

The present technology is not limited to application to image pickupdevices. In other words, the present disclosure is applicable to allelectronic apparatuses using an image pickup device for an imagecapturing unit (photoelectric conversion unit), such as an image pickupdevice such as a digital still camera or a video camera, a mobileterminal device having an image pickup function, and a copying machineusing an image pickup device for an image reading unit. The image pickupdevice may be in a form formed as a one-chip or in a modular form havingan image pickup function in which an image pickup unit and a signalprocessing unit or an optical system are packaged together.

FIG. 74 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of theimage pickup device as an electronic apparatus to which the presenttechnology is applied.

An image pickup apparatus 3000 of FIG. 74 includes: an optical unit 3001including a lens group and the like; an image pickup device 3002 inwhich the configuration of the image pickup device 1 of FIG. 1 isadopted; and a digital signal processor (DSP) circuit 3003 that is acamera signal processing circuit. Furthermore, the image pickupapparatus 3000 also includes a frame memory 3004, a display unit 3005, arecording unit 3006, an operation unit 3007, and a power supply unit3008. The DSP circuit 3003, the frame memory 3004, the display unit3005, the recording unit 3006, the operation unit 3007, and the powersupply unit 3008 are connected to each other via a bus line 3009.

The optical unit 3001 takes in incident light (image light) from asubject and forms an image on an image pickup surface of the imagepickup device 3002. The image pickup device 3002 converts the amount oflight of the incident light formed on the image pickup surface by theoptical unit 3001 into an electrical signal for each pixel, and outputsthe electrical signal as the pixel signal. As the image pickup device3002, an image pick up device can be used that is downsized by that, aconductive pad for contact with a measurement probe is not provided onthe outer peripheral portion, for the purpose of measuring the operationof the image pickup device 1 of FIG. 1, in other words, the layeredstructural body 13, but instead, the input/output circuit unit 49 isarranged in a region below the region of the pixel array unit 24 of theupper structural body 11, or in a region below the pixel peripheralcircuit region 313 of the upper structural body 11.

The display unit 3005 includes, for example, a panel type display devicesuch as a liquid crystal panel or an organic electro-luminescence (EL)panel, and displays a moving image or a still image captured by theimage pickup device 3002. The recording unit 3006 records the movingimage or the still image captured by the image pickup device 3002 on arecording medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory.

The operation unit 3007, under operation by a user, issues an operationcommand for various functions included in the image pickup apparatus3000. The power supply unit 3008 supplies various power supplies thatare operation power supplies for the DSP circuit 3003, the frame memory3004, the display unit 3005, the recording unit 3006, and the operationunit 3007, to these supply targets as appropriate.

As described above, the package size of a semiconductor package can bedownsized by using the image pickup device 1 according to theabove-described embodiments as the image pickup device 3002.Accordingly, also in the image pickup apparatus 3000 such as a videocamera or a digital still camera, or further a camera module for amobile device such as a cellular phone, the apparatus can be downsized.

21. Usage Examples of Image Sensor

FIG. 75 is a diagram illustrating usage examples using theabove-described image pickup device 1.

The CMOS image sensor as the image pickup device 1 can be used, forexample, for various cases for sensing light, such as visible light,infrared light, ultraviolet light, or X rays, as described below.

-   -   An apparatus that photographs an image to be used for        appreciation, such as a digital camera or a portable device with        a camera function    -   An apparatus to be used for traffic, such as an automotive        sensor for photographing ahead of, behind, around, inside a car,        and the like, a monitoring camera for monitoring traveling        vehicles and roads, and a distance sensor for measuring a        distance between vehicles and the like, for safe driving such as        automatic stop, recognition of driver's condition, and the like    -   An apparatus to be used for electric appliances, such as a TV, a        refrigerator, and an air conditioner to photograph user's        gesture and operate the appliances according to the gesture    -   An apparatus to be used for medical care and healthcare, such as        an endoscope or an apparatus for angiography by receiving        infrared light    -   An apparatus to be used for security, such as a monitoring        camera for crime prevention applications, or a camera for person        authentication applications    -   An apparatus to be used for beauty, such as a skin measuring        instrument for photographing skin, and a microscope for        photographing a scalp    -   An apparatus to be used for sports, such as a wearable camera or        an action camera for sports applications, or the like    -   An apparatus to be used for agriculture, such as a camera for        monitoring conditions of fields and crops

The image pickup device 1 can be applied to both the one that useselectrons as signal charges and the one that uses holes as signalcharges.

Furthermore, the present disclosure is applicable not only toapplication to the image pickup device that detects and capturesdistribution of the amount of incident light of visible light as animage, but also to the image pickup device that captures distribution ofthe incident amount of infrared rays, X rays, particles, or the like asan image, and as a broad sense of meaning, generally to image pickupdevices (physical quantity distribution detection device) for detectingand capturing, as an image, distribution of other physical quantitiessuch as pressure and capacitance, such as a fingerprint detectionsensor.

Furthermore, the present disclosure is applicable not only to imagepickup devices but also to other semiconductor devices including asemiconductor integrated circuit in general.

22. Application Example to Endoscopic Surgical System

The present technology according to the present disclosure can beapplied to various products. For example, the present technologyaccording to the present disclosure may be applied to an endoscopicsurgical system.

FIG. 76 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematicconfiguration of the endoscopic surgical system to which the presenttechnology according to the present disclosure can be applied.

FIG. 76 illustrates a state in which an operator (doctor) 11131 isperforming surgery on a patient 11132 on a patient bed 11133 using anendoscopic surgical system 11000. As illustrated, the endoscopicsurgical system 11000 includes an endoscope 11100, other surgical tools11110 such as a pneumoperitoneum tube 11111 and an energy treatment tool11112, a support arm device 11120 that supports the endoscope 11100, anda cart 11200 on which various devices for endoscopic surgery aremounted.

The endoscope 11100 includes a lens barrel 11101 in which a region of apredetermined length from the distal end is inserted into the bodycavity of the patient 11132, and a camera head 11102 connected to theproximal end of the lens barrel 11101. In the illustrated example, theendoscope 11100 formed as a so-called rigid scope including a rigid lensbarrel 11101 is illustrated, but the endoscope 11100 may be formed as aso-called flexible scope including a flexible lens barrel.

At the distal end of the lens barrel 11101, an opening is provided intowhich an objective lens is fitted. A light source device 11203 isconnected to the endoscope 11100, and light generated by the lightsource device 11203 is guided to the distal end of the lens barrel by alight guide extending inside the lens barrel 11101, and the light isemitted toward an observation target in the body cavity of the patient11132 via the objective lens. Note that, the endoscope 11100 may be adirect viewing scope, an oblique viewing scope, or a side viewing scope.

An optical system and an image pickup element are provided inside thecamera head 11102, and reflected light (observation light) from theobservation target is converged on the image pickup element by theoptical system. The observation light is photoelectrically converted bythe image pickup element, and an electric signal corresponding to theobservation light, that is, an image signal corresponding to theobservation image is generated. The image signal is transmitted as RAWdata to a camera control unit (CCU) 11201.

The CCU 11201 includes a central processing unit (CPU), a graphicsprocessing unit (GPU), and the like, and comprehensively controlsoperation of the endoscope 11100 and a display device 11202. Moreover,the CCU 11201 receives the image signal from the camera head 11102 andapplies various types of image processing, for example, developmentprocessing (demosaic processing), and the like, for displaying the imagebased on the image signal.

The display device 11202 displays an image based on the image signalsubjected to the image processing by the CCU 11201, by the control fromthe CCU 11201.

The light source device 11203 includes a light source, for example, alight emitting diode (LED) or the like, and supplies irradiation lightfor photographing a surgical portion or the like to the endoscope 11100.

An input device 11204 is an input interface to the endoscopic surgicalsystem 11000. A user can input various types of information andinstructions to the endoscopic surgical system 11000 via the inputdevice 11204. For example, the user inputs an instruction or the like tochange image pickup conditions (type of irradiation light,magnification, focal length, and the like) for the endoscope 11100.

A treatment tool control device 11205 controls drive of the energytreatment tool 11112 for cauterization of tissue, incision, sealing ofblood vessels, or the like. A pneumoperitoneum device 11206 injects agas into the body cavity via the pneumoperitoneum tube 11111 to inflatethe body cavity of the patient 11132, for the purpose of securing avisual field by the endoscope 11100 and securing a working space of theoperator. A recorder 11207 is a device capable of recording varioustypes of information on surgery. A printer 11208 is a device capable ofprinting various types of information regarding surgery in variousformats such as text, image, graph, and the like.

Note that, the light source device 11203 that supplies irradiation lightfor photographing a surgical portion to the endoscope 11100 can includea white light source including, for example, an LED, a laser lightsource, or a combination thereof. In a case where the white light sourceincludes a combination of R, G, and B laser light sources, the outputintensity and the output timing of each color (each wavelength) can becontrolled with high accuracy, so that adjustment can be performed ofthe white balance of the captured image in the light source device11203. Furthermore, in this case, it is also possible to capture animage corresponding to each of R, G, and B in time division by emittingthe laser light from each of the R, G, and B laser light sources in timedivision to the observation target, and controlling drive of the imagepickup element of the camera head 11102 in synchronization with theemission timing. According to this method, a color image can be obtainedwithout providing a color filter in the image pickup element.

Furthermore, drive of the light source device 11203 may be controlledsuch that the intensity of light to be output is changed atpredetermined time intervals. By controlling the drive of the imagepickup element of the camera head 11102 in synchronization with thetiming of the light intensity change to acquire images in time division,and synthesizing the images, a high dynamic range image can be generatedwithout so-called blocked up shadows or blown out highlights.

Furthermore, the light source device 11203 may be configured to be ableto supply light of a predetermined wavelength band corresponding tospecial light observation. In the special light observation, forexample, by using wavelength dependence of light absorption in bodytissue, by emitting narrow band light compared to irradiation light (inother words, white light) at the time of ordinary observation, so-calledNarrow Band Imaging is performed in which a predetermined tissue such asa blood vessel in a mucosal surface layer is photographed with highcontrast. Alternatively, in the special light observation, fluorescenceobservation may be performed that obtain an image by fluorescencegenerated by emitting excitation light. In the fluorescence observation,it is possible to irradiate body tissue with excitation light to observethe fluorescence from the body tissue (autofluorescence observation), orto locally inject a reagent such as indocyanine green (ICG) into a bodytissue and emit excitation light corresponding to the fluorescencewavelength of the reagent to obtain a fluorescent image, for example.The light source device 11203 can be configured to be able to supplynarrow band light and/or excitation light corresponding to such speciallight observation.

FIG. 77 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functionalconfiguration of the camera head 11102 and the CCU 11201 illustrated inFIG. 76.

The camera head 11102 includes a lens unit 11401, an image pickup unit11402, a drive unit 11403, a communication unit 11404, and a camera headcontrol unit 11405. The CCU 11201 includes a communication unit 11411,an image processing unit 11412, and a control unit 11413. The camerahead 11102 and the CCU 11201 are communicably connected to each other bya transmission cable 11400.

The lens unit 11401 is an optical system provided at a connectionportion with the lens barrel 11101. The observation light taken in fromthe distal end of the lens barrel 11101 is guided to the camera head11102 and is incident on the lens unit 11401. The lens unit 11401include a combination of a plurality of lenses including a zoom lens anda focus lens.

The image pickup unit 11402 includes an image pickup element. The imagepickup element constituting the image pickup unit 11402 may be one(so-called single plate type) element, or a plurality of (so-calledmultiple plate type) elements. In a case where the image pickup unit11402 includes the multiple plate type, for example, image signalscorresponding to R, G, and B may be generated by respective image pickupelements, and a color image may be obtained by synthesizing the imagesignals. Alternatively, the image pickup unit 11402 may include a pairof image pickup elements for acquiring right-eye and left-eye imagesignals corresponding to three-dimensional (3D) display. By performingthe 3D display, the operator 11131 can grasp the depth of living tissuein a surgical portion more accurately. Note that, in a case where theimage pickup unit 11402 includes the multiple plate type, a plurality ofsystems of the lens units 11401 can be provided corresponding torespective image pickup elements.

Furthermore, the image pickup unit 11402 is not necessarily provided inthe camera head 11102. For example, the image pickup unit 11402 may beprovided inside the lens barrel 11101 immediately after the objectivelens.

The drive unit 11403 includes an actuator and moves the zoom lens andthe focus lens of the lens unit 11401 by a predetermined distance alongthe optical axis by control of the camera head control unit 11405. As aresult, the magnification and the focus of the captured image by theimage pickup unit 11402 can be appropriately adjusted.

The communication unit 11404 includes a communication device fortransmitting/receiving various types of information to/from the CCU11201. The communication unit 11404 transmits the image signal obtainedfrom the image pickup unit 11402 as RAW data to the CCU 11201 via thetransmission cable 11400.

Furthermore, the communication unit 11404 receives a control signal forcontrolling drive of the camera head 11102 from the CCU 11201, andsupplies the control signal to the camera head control unit 11405. Thecontrol signal includes information regarding image pickup conditions,for example, information that specifies the frame rate of the capturedimage, information that specifies the exposure value at the time ofimage pickup, and/or information that specifies the magnification andfocus of the captured image, and the like.

Note that, the image pickup conditions such as the frame rate, exposurevalue, magnification, and focus may be appropriately specified by theuser, or automatically set by the control unit 11413 of the CCU 11201 onthe basis of the acquired image signal. In the latter case, theso-called auto exposure (AE) function, auto-focus (AF) function, andauto white balance (AWB) function are installed in the endoscope 11100.

The camera head control unit 11405 controls the drive of the camera head11102 on the basis of the control signal from the CCU 11201 received viathe communication unit 11404.

The communication unit 11411 includes a communication device fortransmitting/receiving various types of information to/from the camerahead 11102. The communication unit 11411 receives the image signaltransmitted from the camera head 11102 via the transmission cable 11400.

Furthermore, the communication unit 11411 transmits the control signalfor controlling the drive of the camera head 11102 to the camera head11102. The image signal and the control signal can be transmitted byelectrical communication, optical communication, or the like.

The image processing unit 11412 performs various types of imageprocessing on the image signal that is RAW data transmitted from thecamera head 11102.

The control unit 11413 performs various types of control related toimage pickup of a surgical portion or the like by the endoscope 11100and display of the captured image obtained by the image pickup of thesurgical portion or the like. For example, the control unit 11413generates the control signal for controlling the drive of the camerahead 11102.

Furthermore, the control unit 11413 causes the display device 11202 todisplay the captured image of the surgical portion or the like on thebasis of the image signal subjected to the image processing by the imageprocessing unit 11412. At this time, the control unit 11413 mayrecognize various objects in the captured image by using various imagerecognition technologies. For example, the control unit 11413 detectscolor, a shape of an edge, and the like of the object included in thecaptured image, thereby being able to recognize a surgical tool such asa forceps, a specific body part, bleeding, mist at the time of using theenergy treatment tool 11112, or the like. When causing the displaydevice 11202 to display the captured image, the control unit 11413 maycause the display device 11202 to superimpose and display various typesof surgery assistance information on the image of the surgical portionby using the recognition result. The surgery assistance information issuperimposed and displayed, and presented to the operator 11131, wherebythe burden on the operator 11131 can be reduced, and the operator 11131can reliably perform surgery.

The transmission cable 11400 connecting the camera head 11102 and theCCU 11201 together is an electric signal cable adaptable tocommunication of electric signals, an optical fiber adaptable to opticalcommunication, or a composite cable thereof.

Here, in the illustrated example, communication is performed by wireusing the transmission cable 11400, but communication between the camerahead 11102 and the CCU 11201 may be performed wirelessly.

In the above, an example has been described of the endoscopic surgicalsystem to which the technology according to the present disclosure canbe applied. The technology according to the present disclosure can beapplied to, for example, the endoscope 11100, (the image pickup unit11402 of) the camera head 11102, (the image processing unit 11412 of)the CCU 11201, and the like) among the above-described configurations.

Note that, although the endoscopic surgical system has been described asan example here, the technology according to the present disclosure maybe applied to other examples, for example, a microscopic surgery system,and the like.

23. Application Example to Mobile Body

The present technology according to the present disclosure can beapplied to various products. The technology according to the presentdisclosure may be implemented as a device mounted on any type of mobilebody, for example, a car, an electric car, a hybrid electric car, amotorcycle, a bicycle, a personal mobility, an airplane, a drone, aship, a robot, and the like.

FIG. 78 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a schematicconfiguration of a vehicle control system that is an example of a mobilebody control system to which the technology according to the presentdisclosure can be applied.

A vehicle control system 12000 includes a plurality of electroniccontrol units connected together via a communication network 12001. Inthe example illustrated in FIG. 78, the vehicle control system 12000includes a drive system control unit 12010, a body system control unit12020, a vehicle exterior information detection unit 12030, a vehicleinterior information detection unit 12040, and an integrated controlunit 12050. Furthermore, as functional configurations of the integratedcontrol unit 12050, a microcomputer 12051, an audio image output unit12052, and an automotive network interface (I/F) 12053 are illustrated.

The drive system control unit 12010 controls operation of devicesrelated to a drive system of a vehicle in accordance with variousprograms. For example, the drive system control unit 12010 functions asa control device of a driving force generating device for generatingdriving force of the vehicle, such as an internal combustion engine or adriving motor, a driving force transmitting mechanism for transmittingdriving force to wheels, a steering mechanism for adjusting a steeringangle, a braking device for generating braking force of the vehicle, andthe like.

The body system control unit 12020 controls operation of various devicesequipped on the vehicle body in accordance with various programs. Forexample, the body system control unit 12020 functions as a controldevice of a keyless entry system, a smart key system, a power windowdevice, or various lamps such as a head lamp, a back lamp, a brake lamp,a turn signal lamp, and a fog lamp. In this case, to the body systemcontrol unit 12020, a radio wave transmitted from a portable device thatsubstitutes for a key, or signals of various switches can be input. Thebody system control unit 12020 accepts input of these radio waves orsignals and controls a door lock device, power window device, lamp, andthe like of the vehicle.

The vehicle exterior information detection unit 12030 detectsinformation on the outside of the vehicle on which the vehicle controlsystem 12000 is mounted. For example, an image pickup unit 12031 isconnected to the vehicle exterior information detection unit 12030. Thevehicle exterior information detection unit 12030 causes the imagepickup unit 12031 to capture an image outside the vehicle and receivesthe image captured. The vehicle exterior information detection unit12030 may perform object detection processing or distance detectionprocessing on a person, a car, an obstacle, a sign, a character on aroad surface, or the like, on the basis of the received image.

The image pickup unit 12031 is an optical sensor that receives light andoutputs an electric signal corresponding to the amount of lightreceived. The image pickup unit 12031 can output the electric signal asan image, or as distance measurement information. Furthermore, the lightreceived by the image pickup unit 12031 may be visible light, orinvisible light such as infrared rays.

The vehicle interior information detection unit 12040 detectsinformation on the inside of the vehicle. The vehicle interiorinformation detection unit 12040 is connected to, for example, a driverstate detection unit 12041 that detects a state of a driver. The driverstate detection unit 12041 includes, for example, a camera that capturesan image of the driver, and the vehicle interior information detectionunit 12040 may calculate a degree of fatigue or a degree ofconcentration of the driver, or determine whether or not the driver isdozing, on the basis of the detection information input from the driverstate detection unit 12041.

The microcomputer 12051 can calculate a control target value of thedriving force generating device, the steering mechanism, or the brakingdevice on the basis of the information inside and outside of the vehicleacquired by the vehicle exterior information detection unit 12030 or thevehicle interior information detection unit 12040, and output a controlcommand to the drive system control unit 12010. For example, themicrocomputer 12051 can perform cooperative control aiming forimplementing functions of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS)including collision avoidance or shock mitigation of the vehicle,follow-up traveling based on an inter-vehicle distance, vehicle speedmaintaining traveling, vehicle collision warning, vehicle lane departurewarning, or the like.

Furthermore, the microcomputer 12051 can perform cooperative controlaiming for automatic driving that autonomously travels without dependingon operation of the driver, or the like, by controlling the drivingforce generating device, the steering mechanism, the braking device, orthe like on the basis of information on the periphery of the vehicleacquired by the vehicle exterior information detection unit 12030 or thevehicle interior information detection unit 12040.

Furthermore, the microcomputer 12051 can output a control command to thebody system control unit 12020 on the basis of information on theoutside of the vehicle acquired by the vehicle exterior informationdetection unit 12030. For example, the microcomputer 12051 can performcooperative control aiming for preventing dazzling such as switchingfrom the high beam to the low beam, by controlling the head lampdepending on a position of a preceding vehicle or an oncoming vehicledetected by the vehicle exterior information detection unit 12030.

The audio image output unit 12052 transmits at least one of audio andimage output signals to an output device capable of visually or aurallynotifying an occupant of the vehicle or the outside of the vehicle ofinformation. In the example of FIG. 78, as the output device, an audiospeaker 12061, a display unit 12062, and an instrument panel 12063 areillustrated. The display unit 12062 may include, for example, at leastone of an on-board display and a head-up display.

FIG. 79 is a diagram illustrating an example of an installation positionof the image pickup unit 12031.

In FIG. 79, the vehicle 12100 includes image pickup units 12101, 12102,12103, 12104, and 12105 as the image pickup unit 12031.

The image pickup units 12101, 12102, 12103, 12104, and 12105 areprovided at positions, for example, the front nose, the side mirror, therear bumper, the back door, the upper part of the windshield in thevehicle interior, and the like of the vehicle 12100. The image pickupunit 12101 provided at the front nose and the image pickup unit 12105provided at the upper part of the windshield in the vehicle interiormainly acquire images ahead of the vehicle 12100. The image pickup units12102 and 12103 provided at the side mirrors mainly acquire images onthe sides of the vehicle 12100. The image pickup unit 12104 provided atthe rear bumper or the back door mainly acquires an image behind thevehicle 12100. The front images acquired by the image pickup units 12101and 12105 are mainly used for detection of a preceding vehicle, apedestrian, an obstacle, a traffic signal, a traffic sign, a lane, orthe like.

Note that, FIG. 79 illustrates an example of a photographing range ofthe image pickup units 12101 to 12104. An image pickup range 12111indicates an image pickup range of the image pickup unit 12101 providedat the front nose, image pickup ranges 12112 and 12113 respectivelyindicate image pickup ranges of the image pickup units 12102 and 12103provided at the side mirrors, an image pickup range 12114 indicates animage pickup range of the image pickup unit 12104 provided at the rearbumper or the back door. For example, image data captured by the imagepickup units 12101 to 12104 are superimposed on each other, whereby anoverhead image is obtained of the vehicle 12100 viewed from above.

At least one of the image pickup units 12101 to 12104 may have afunction of acquiring distance information. For example, at least one ofthe image pickup units 12101 to 12104 may be a stereo camera including aplurality of image pickup elements, or an image pickup element includingpixels for phase difference detection.

For example, on the basis of the distance information obtained from theimage pickup units 12101 to 12104, the microcomputer 12051 obtains adistance to each three-dimensional object within the image pickup ranges12111 to 12114, and a temporal change of the distance (relative speed tothe vehicle 12100), thereby being able to extract, as a precedingvehicle, a three-dimensional object that is in particular a closestthree-dimensional object on a traveling path of the vehicle 12100 andtraveling at a predetermined speed (for example, greater than or equalto 0 km/h) in substantially the same direction as that of the vehicle12100. Moreover, the microcomputer 12051 can set an inter-vehicledistance to be secured in advance in front of the preceding vehicle, andcan perform automatic brake control (including follow-up stop control),automatic acceleration control (including follow-up start control), andthe like. As described above, it is possible to perform cooperativecontrol aiming for automatic driving that autonomously travels withoutdepending on operation of the driver, or the like.

For example, on the basis of the distance information obtained from theimage pickup units 12101 to 12104, the microcomputer 12051 can extractthree-dimensional object data regarding the three-dimensional object byclassifying the objects into a two-wheeled vehicle, a regular vehicle, alarge vehicle, a pedestrian, and other three-dimensional objects such asa utility pole, and use the data for automatic avoidance of obstacles.For example, the microcomputer 12051 identifies obstacles in theperiphery of the vehicle 12100 into an obstacle visually recognizable tothe driver of the vehicle 12100 and an obstacle difficult to be visuallyrecognized. Then, the microcomputer 12051 determines a collision riskindicating a risk of collision with each obstacle, and when thecollision risk is greater than or equal to a set value and there is apossibility of collision, the microcomputer 12051 outputs an alarm tothe driver via the audio speaker 12061 and the display unit 12062, orperforms forced deceleration or avoidance steering via the drive systemcontrol unit 12010, thereby being able to perform driving assistance forcollision avoidance.

At least one of the image pickup units 12101 to 12104 may be an infraredcamera that detects infrared rays. For example, the microcomputer 12051can recognize a pedestrian by determining whether or not a pedestrianexists in the captured images of the image pickup units 12101 to 12104.Such pedestrian recognition is performed by, for example, a procedure ofextracting feature points in the captured images of the image pickupunits 12101 to 12104 as infrared cameras, and a procedure of performingpattern matching processing on a series of feature points indicating acontour of an object to determine whether or not the object is apedestrian. When the microcomputer 12051 determines that a pedestrianexists in the captured images of the image pickup units 12101 to 12104and recognizes the pedestrian, the audio image output unit 12052controls the display unit 12062 so that a rectangular contour line foremphasis is superimposed and displayed on the recognized pedestrian.Furthermore, the audio image output unit 12052 may control the displayunit 12062 so that an icon or the like indicating the pedestrian isdisplayed at a desired position.

In the above, an example has been described of the vehicle controlsystem to which the technology according to the present disclosure canbe applied. The technology according to the present disclosure can beapplied to, for example, the image pickup unit 12031, and the like amongthe above-described configurations.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to theabove-described embodiments, and various modifications are possiblewithin the scope not departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

For example, it is possible to adopt a form in which all or a part ofthe plurality of embodiments is combined.

Note that, the effects described in the present specification are merelyillustrative and not limiting and may have effects other than thosedescribed in the present specification.

Note that, the present disclosure can also be configured as describedbelow.

(1)

An image pickup device including:

a first structural body and a second structural body that are layered,

the first structural body including a pixel array unit in which a pixelthat performs photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionally arrayed,

the second structural body being positioned below the first structuralbody, the second structural body including an input circuit unit thatinputs a predetermined signal from an outside of the device, an outputcircuit unit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixel to theoutside of the device, and a signal processing circuit;

an output unit and an input unit that are arranged below the pixel arrayunit of the first structural body, the output unit including the outputcircuit unit, a first through-via connected to the output circuit unitand penetrating through a semiconductor substrate constituting a part ofthe second structural body, and a signal output external terminal thatconnects the output circuit unit to the outside of the device via thefirst through-via,

the input unit including the input circuit unit, a second through-viaconnected to the input circuit unit and penetrating through thesemiconductor substrate, and a signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via;

a substrate connected to the signal output external terminal and thesignal input external terminal; and a circuit board connected to a firstsurface of the substrate, the first surface facing a second surface towhich the signal output external terminal and the signal input externalterminal are connected.

(2)

The image pickup device according to (1), further including:

-   -   a glass substrate positioned above the first structural body;        and

a lens barrel, in which

the lens barrel is placed on the glass substrate.

(3)

The image pickup device according to (1), further including

a lens barrel, in which

the lens barrel is placed on the first structural body.

(4)

The image pickup device according to any of (1) to (3), in which

the substrate includes two or more substrates that intersectperpendicularly to each other.

(5)

The image pickup device according to any of (1) to (4), furtherincluding

a lens barrel, in which

the circuit board is connected within a corresponding region of asurface within a region of the substrate in which the lens barrel isarranged and facing a surface in which the lens barrel is arranged.

(6)

The image pickup device according to any of (1) to (4), furtherincluding

a lens barrel, in which

the circuit board and a wire for wire bonding are each connected withina corresponding region of a surface within a region of the substrate inwhich the lens barrel is arranged and facing a surface in which the lensbarrel is arranged.

(7)

An image pickup device including:

a first structural body, a glass substrate, a transmittance attenuationlayer, and a second structural body that are layered,

the first structural body including a pixel array unit in which a pixelthat performs photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionally arrayed,

the glass substrate being positioned above the first structural body,

the transmittance attenuation layer being positioned above the firststructural body and attenuating transmittance of incident light,

the second structural body being positioned below the first structuralbody, the second structural body including an input circuit unit thatinputs a predetermined signal from an outside of the device, an outputcircuit unit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixel to theoutside of the device, and a signal processing circuit; and

an output unit and an input unit that are arranged below the pixel arrayunit of the first structural body,

the output unit including the output circuit unit, a first through-viaconnected to the output circuit unit and penetrating through asemiconductor substrate constituting a part of the second structuralbody, and a signal output external terminal that connects the outputcircuit unit to the outside of the device via the first through-via,

the input unit including the input circuit unit, a second through-viaconnected to the input circuit unit and penetrating through thesemiconductor substrate, and a signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via.

(8)

The image pickup device according to (7), in which

the transmittance attenuation layer is formed on the glass substrate.

(9)

The image pickup device according to (7), in which

the transmittance attenuation layer is formed within the glasssubstrate.

(10)

The image pickup device according to (7), in which

the transmittance attenuation layer is formed between the glasssubstrate and the first structural body.

(11)

The image pickup device according to any of (7) to (10), in which

the transmittance attenuation layer includes a plurality of layers.

(12)

The image pickup device according to (7), in which

the transmittance attenuation layer is formed in a half region on theglass substrate.

(13)

The image pickup device according to (7), in which

the transmittance attenuation layer is formed with different thicknesseson the glass substrate.

(14)

The image pickup device according to (7), in which

the transmittance attenuation layer is formed on an optical blackregion.

(15)

The image pickup device according to (7), in which

the transmittance attenuation layer also has a function as a colorfilter.

(16)

The image pickup device according to any of (7) to (15), in which

the image pickup device includes a plurality of the image pickupdevices, and

the transmittance attenuation layer is formed in a predetermined numberof the image pickup devices among the plurality of image pickup devices.

(17)

The image pickup device according to any of (7) to (16), in which

the transmittance attenuation layer includes any or a combination of ametal, an inorganic material, an organic material, and a polarizer.

(18)

The image pickup device according to (7), in which

the transmittance attenuation layer is formed by making a surface of theglass substrate a scattering surface for scattering light.

(19)

An image pickup device including:

a first structural body, a glass substrate, and a second structural bodythat are layered,

the first structural body including a pixel array unit in which a pixelthat performs photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionally arrayed,

the glass substrate being positioned above the first structural body andincluding a light incident surface subjected to moth-eye processing,

the second structural body being positioned below the first structuralbody, the second structural body including an input circuit unit thatinputs a predetermined signal from an outside of the device, an outputcircuit unit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixel to theoutside of the device, and a signal processing circuit; and

an output unit and an input unit that are arranged below the pixel arrayunit of the first structural body,

the output unit including the output circuit unit, a first through-viaconnected to the output circuit unit and penetrating through asemiconductor substrate constituting a part of the second structuralbody, and a signal output external terminal that connects the outputcircuit unit to the outside of the device via the first through-via,

the input unit including the input circuit unit, a second through-viaconnected to the input circuit unit and penetrating through thesemiconductor substrate, and a signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via.

(20)

An electronic apparatus including:

a first structural body and a second structural body that are layered,

the first structural body including a pixel array unit in which a pixelthat performs photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionally arrayed,

the second structural body being positioned below the first structuralbody, the second structural body including an input circuit unit thatinputs a predetermined signal from an outside of the device, an outputcircuit unit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixel to theoutside of the device, and a signal processing circuit;

an output unit and an input unit that are arranged below the pixel arrayunit of the first structural body,

the output unit including the output circuit unit, a first through-viaconnected to the output circuit unit and penetrating through asemiconductor substrate constituting a part of the second structuralbody, and a signal output external terminal that connects the outputcircuit unit to the outside of the device via the first through-via,

the input unit including the input circuit unit, a second through-viaconnected to the input circuit unit and penetrating through thesemiconductor substrate, and a signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via;

a substrate connected to the signal output external terminal and thesignal input external terminal; and

a circuit board connected to a first surface of the substrate, the firstsurface facing a second surface to which the signal output externalterminal and the signal input external terminal are connected.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   1 Image pickup device-   11 First structural body (upper structural body)-   12 Second structural body (lower structural body)-   13 Layered structural body-   14 External terminal (signal input/output terminal)-   15 Color filter-   16 On-chip lens-   17 Glass seal resin-   18 Protective substrate-   21 Input/output unit-   22 Row drive unit-   24 Pixel array unit-   25 Column signal processing unit-   26 Image signal processing unit-   31 Pixel-   41 Input terminal-   42 Input circuit unit-   47 Output circuit unit-   48 Output terminal-   49 Input/output circuit unit-   51 Photodiode-   81 Semiconductor substrate-   88 Through-electrode via-   90 Rewiring line-   101 Semiconductor substrate-   105 Through-chip-electrode-   106 Connection wiring line-   109 Through-silicon-electrode-   311 Input/output circuit region-   312 Signal processing circuit region-   313 Pixel peripheral circuit region-   314 Upper and lower substrates connection region-   321 I/O circuit-   901 Lens module-   904 lens-   921 Substrate-   931 Circuit board-   941 Bonding wire-   2100 Transmittance attenuation layer

1. An image pickup device comprising: a first structural body and asecond structural body that are layered, the first structural bodyincluding a pixel array unit in which a pixel that performsphotoelectric conversion is two-dimensionally arrayed, the secondstructural body being positioned below the first structural body, thesecond structural body including an input circuit unit that inputs apredetermined signal from an outside of the device, an output circuitunit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixel to the outside ofthe device, and a signal processing circuit; an output unit and an inputunit that are arranged below the pixel array unit of the firststructural body, the output unit including the output circuit unit, afirst through-via connected to the output circuit unit and penetratingthrough a semiconductor substrate constituting a part of the secondstructural body, and a signal output external terminal that connects theoutput circuit unit to the outside of the device via the firstthrough-via, the input unit including the input circuit unit, a secondthrough-via connected to the input circuit unit and penetrating throughthe semiconductor substrate, and a signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via; a substrate connected to the signal output externalterminal and the signal input external terminal; and a circuit boardconnected to a first surface of the substrate, the first surface facinga second surface to which the signal output external terminal and thesignal input external terminal are connected.
 2. The image pickup deviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a glass substrate positionedabove the first structural body; and a lens barrel, wherein the lensbarrel is placed on the glass substrate.
 3. The image pickup deviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising a lens barrel, wherein the lensbarrel is placed on the first structural body.
 4. The image pickupdevice according to claim 1, wherein the substrate includes two or moresubstrates that intersect perpendicularly to each other.
 5. The imagepickup device according to claim 1, further comprising a lens barrel,wherein the circuit board is connected within a corresponding region ofa surface within a region of the substrate in which the lens barrel isarranged and facing a surface in which the lens barrel is arranged. 6.The image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising a lensbarrel, wherein the circuit board and a wire for wire bonding are eachconnected within a corresponding region of a surface within a region ofthe substrate in which the lens barrel is arranged and facing a surfacein which the lens barrel is arranged.
 7. An image pickup devicecomprising: a first structural body, a glass substrate, a transmittanceattenuation layer, and a second structural body that are layered, thefirst structural body including a pixel array unit in which a pixel thatperforms photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionally arrayed, theglass substrate being positioned above the first structural body, thetransmittance attenuation layer being positioned above the firststructural body and attenuating transmittance of incident light, thesecond structural body being positioned below the first structural body,the second structural body including an input circuit unit that inputs apredetermined signal from an outside of the device, an output circuitunit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixel to the outside ofthe device, and a signal processing circuit; and an output unit and aninput unit that are arranged below the pixel array unit of the firststructural body, the output unit including the output circuit unit, afirst through-via connected to the output circuit unit and penetratingthrough a semiconductor substrate constituting a part of the secondstructural body, and a signal output external terminal that connects theoutput circuit unit to the outside of the device via the firstthrough-via, the input unit including the input circuit unit, a secondthrough-via connected to the input circuit unit and penetrating throughthe semiconductor substrate, and a signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via.
 8. The image pickup device according to claim 7,wherein the transmittance attenuation layer is formed on the glasssubstrate.
 9. The image pickup device according to claim 7, wherein thetransmittance attenuation layer is formed within the glass substrate.10. The image pickup device according to claim 7, wherein thetransmittance attenuation layer is formed between the glass substrateand the first structural body.
 11. The image pickup device according toclaim 7, wherein the transmittance attenuation layer includes aplurality of layers.
 12. The image pickup device according to claim 7,wherein the transmittance attenuation layer is formed in a half regionon the glass substrate.
 13. The image pickup device according to claim7, wherein the transmittance attenuation layer is formed with differentthicknesses on the glass substrate.
 14. The image pickup deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein the transmittance attenuation layer isformed on an optical black region.
 15. The image pickup device accordingto claim 7, wherein the transmittance attenuation layer also has afunction as a color filter.
 16. The image pickup device according toclaim 7, wherein the image pickup device includes a plurality of theimage pickup devices, and the transmittance attenuation layer is formedin a predetermined number of the image pickup devices among theplurality of image pickup devices.
 17. The image pickup device accordingto claim 7, wherein the transmittance attenuation layer includes any ora combination of a metal, an inorganic material, an organic material,and a polarizer.
 18. The image pickup device according to claim 7,wherein the transmittance attenuation layer is formed by making asurface of the glass substrate a scattering surface for scatteringlight.
 19. An image pickup device comprising: a first structural body, aglass substrate, and a second structural body that are layered, thefirst structural body including a pixel array unit in which a pixel thatperforms photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionally arrayed, theglass substrate being positioned above the first structural body andincluding a light incident surface subjected to moth-eye processing, thesecond structural body being positioned below the first structural body,the second structural body including an input circuit unit that inputs apredetermined signal from an outside of the device, an output circuitunit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixel to the outside ofthe device, and a signal processing circuit; and an output unit and aninput unit that are arranged below the pixel array unit of the firststructural body, the output unit including the output circuit unit, afirst through-via connected to the output circuit unit and penetratingthrough a semiconductor substrate constituting a part of the secondstructural body, and a signal output external terminal that connects theoutput circuit unit to the outside of the device via the firstthrough-via, the input unit including the input circuit unit, a secondthrough-via connected to the input circuit unit and penetrating throughthe semiconductor substrate, and a signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via.
 20. An electronic apparatus comprising: a firststructural body and a second structural body that are layered, the firststructural body including a pixel array unit in which a pixel thatperforms photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionally arrayed, thesecond structural body being positioned below the first structural body,the second structural body including an input circuit unit that inputs apredetermined signal from an outside of the device, an output circuitunit that outputs a pixel signal output from the pixel to the outside ofthe device, and a signal processing circuit; an output unit and an inputunit that are arranged below the pixel array unit of the firststructural body, the output unit including the output circuit unit, afirst through-via connected to the output circuit unit and penetratingthrough a semiconductor substrate constituting a part of the secondstructural body, and a signal output external terminal that connects theoutput circuit unit to the outside of the device via the firstthrough-via, the input unit including the input circuit unit, a secondthrough-via connected to the input circuit unit and penetrating throughthe semiconductor substrate, and a signal input external terminal thatconnects the input circuit unit to the outside of the device via thesecond through-via; a substrate connected to the signal output externalterminal and the signal input external terminal; and a circuit boardconnected to a first surface of the substrate, the first surface facinga second surface to which the signal output external terminal and thesignal input external terminal are connected.